As you may remember from your biology class, the heart’s function is to push millions of gallons of blood to every part of the body. This steady flow carries with it oxygen, fuel, hormones, other compounds, and a host of essential cells. It also whisks away the waste products of metabolism. So evidently when the heart stops working, essential functions also fail.
Given the heart’s never-ending workload, it is our duty to ensure our heart’s health. Which is why 29th of September is annually celebrated as the World Heart Day. This is the World Heart Federation’s and the world’s biggest platform for raising awareness about cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease and stroke. Here is everything you need to know about the significance of this day and about World Heart day 2019. Read on!
What is World Heart Day all about?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) take the lives of 17.9 million people every year, 31% of all global deaths. What triggers these diseases, you ask? Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and the harmful use of alcohol etc. are some of the major causes behind heart attacks, strokes and other heart diseases.
Created by the World Heart Federation, World Heart Day informs people around the globe that CVD, including heart disease and stroke, is the world’s leading cause of death. It also highlights the actions that individuals can take to prevent and control CVD. World Heart Day is a global campaign. Individuals, families, communities, and governments around the world participate in activities to take charge of their heart health.
Did You Know?
‘My Heart, Your Heart’ – World Heart Day 2019 Theme
Wondering what we mean by My Heart, Your Heart? Well, that is the theme for the World Heart Day celebrations this year. As part of its mission to ensure heart health equity for all, the World Heart Foundation wants to create a global community of Heart Heroes. This includes people from all walks of life who are acting now to live longer, better, heart-healthy lives by making a promise:
- To their families to cook and eat more healthily
- To their children to exercise more and help them to be more active, to say no to smoking and help our loved ones to stop
- As a healthcare professional to help patients give up smoking and lower their cholesterol
- As a policymaker to support policies that promote healthy hearts
- As an employee to invest in heart-healthy workplaces
You too can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke with just a few simple lifestyle changes. This year, make a promise to yourself and your loved ones to be a heart hero!
Featured Image Source: Harvard Health – Harvard University
