Walk More, Eat Well, Live Longer

INVC Bureau

New Delhi. Cardiovascular disease as an underlying cause of death accounts for more than one-third (36.3 percent) of all deaths.

The prevention lies in the phrase: “walk more, eat well and live more” said Dr. K K Aggarwal, President, Heart Care Foundation of India.

Dr Aggarwal said that walking is the easiest, most convenient form of activity — and it’s free. You don’t need special skills, the training of a marathon runner, or a membership at an expensive gym to benefit from walking.

In fact, one study shows that if you get just one hour of regular exercise, you can increase your life expectancy by two hours. Walk one hour on a regular basis; expect to live two hours longer…Do the math. Imagine what you could do with all that extra time! said Dr. Aggarwal.

Each year, over 25 lac Indians die from sudden cardiac arrest, and more than 95 percent of all sudden cardiac arrest victims die before reaching the hospital.

Walking is not only good for the heart patients but also for patients with paralysis and peripheral vascular disease.

Apart one should do more simple exercise at home

·        Do housework yourself instead of hiring someone else to do it.    

·        Work in the garden.

·        Go out for a short walk before breakfast, after dinner or both!  Start with 5-10 minutes and work up to 30 minutes.    

·        Walk to the corner store instead of driving.    

·        When walking, pick up the pace from leisurely to brisk.  Choose a hilly route.  When watching TV, sit up instead of lying on the sofa.  Better yet, spend a few minutes pedaling on your stationary bicycle while watching TV.  Throw away your video remote control.  Instead of asking someone to bring you a drink, get up off the couch and get it yourself.    

·        Stand up while talking on the telephone.    

·        Walk the dog.

·        Park farther away at the shopping mall and walk the extra distance.  Wear your walking shoes and sneak in an extra lap or two around the mall.

·        Stretch to reach items in high places and squat or bend to look at items at floor level.    

·        Keep exercise equipment repaired and use it.

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