Cardiac community, a not for profit organization increasing awareness of cardiovascular disease and encouraging heart health organized the second edition of its annual Heart dialogue conference to stress the importance of living a healthy lifestyle. The event was held to commemorate World Heart day.
The event featured different sessions which included a healthy breakfast session sponsored by Three Crowns Milk and hosted by Fawehinmi Temitope; a registered dietitian and a licensed nutrition educator, Making tasty and heart healthy Nigerian meals held by Salami Abiola Rukayat; a Cardiac Dietitian and founder of sari Nutrition, fitness session by Roseline Eyenike; a corporate wellness coach and a meditation session by Akinjide Olowookere; a registered yoga instructor.
The panel discussion included; Dr Tosin Majekodunmi, Structural/interventional Cardiologist, Medical director Euracare Nigeria, Dr Olusegun- Joseph Akinsanya, consultant Cardiologist, Lagos University Teaching Hospital and Dr Abimbola Osinowo, Deputy Director, NCD (Hypertension and Diabetes) coordinator, Lagos State Ministry of Health.
The health experts stressed the need for people to limit alcohol intake, tobacco smoking, and indulge in exercise to prevent heart disease and advised Nigerians to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, fiber-rich whole grains and fish at least twice per week. They also recommended consumption of nuts and legumes.
Deputy Director Non-Communicable Diseases Control Lagos State, Ministry of Health, Dr. Abimbola Oshinowo, via Zoom said that a heart disease is a form of non-communicable disease resulting from damage to all or part of the heart, it is also damage to blood vessels of the heart (coronary arteries).
Consultant Cardiologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr. Olusegun Akinsanya Joseph said heart failure occurs when the heart muscle does not pump blood as it should.
Olusegun stated that this year’s theme ‘Use heart to beat Cardiovascular disease’ is a global call for individuals to make a promise that they would live a healthy lifestyle and also educate those around them on the importance of healthy lifestyles to ensure that heart-related diseases would be reduced in society.
“Not all conditions that lead to heart failure can be reversed, but treatments can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure and help you live longer”.
He explained that lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing sodium in your diet, managing stress, and losing weight, can improve your quality of life. One way to prevent heart failure is to prevent and control conditions that cause heart failures, such as coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity.
He stated that heart failure signs and symptoms include, shortness of breath when you exert yourself or when you lie down, fatigue and weakness, swelling in your legs, ankles, and feet, rapid or irregular heartbeat, reduced ability to exercise.
Structural/interventional Cardiologist, Medical director Euracare Nigeria; Dr Tosin Majekodunmi also advised patients living with hypertension to ensure they see their doctors regularly and understand their targets. He stated that ‘hypertension is an easy disease to treat provided patients see their doctors regularly and understand the target limit they need to be treating their hypertension to’’.
The conference was sponsored by Three Crowns Milk and Novartis.
