World Heart Day is a week today which means it’s time to get your hips a-shaking and your brain a-thinking as you settle in for one of the fantastic events on offer.
Events around the UK include health screenings, exhibitions and sporting events to promote messages concerning the worldwide impact of heart disease. The World Heart Federation is using the day to encourage individual people to put out their cigarettes, put down their doughnuts and pull on their tracksuits.
The World Heart Federation believes that the majority of the 17.1 million deaths worldwide as a result of cardiovascular disease are preventable through a healthy diet and lifestyle. They also encourage people to learn the signs of stroke and heart attacks. In the news today, researchers at the University of Liverpool have discovered that intervention policies promoting healthy eating can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease by up to 50%.
Stroke (FAST)
• Face (Has their face fallen on one side? Can they smile?)
• Arms (Can they raise both arms and keep them there?)
• Speech (Is their speech slurred?)
• Time to call 999 if you see any single one of these signs.
Heart Attack
• Chest pain which can spread to the jaw, neck, arms and back (like squeezing or pressure)
• Shortness of breath
• Anxiety