Heart Attack Deaths During Garba Dance: India celebrated the festivals of Navratri and Durga Puja with great enthusiasm and fervour. Garba and dandiya nights were organised in different parts of the country and added to the celebrations. But the heartbreaking news of heart attacks at Garba events has left people disheartened. At least 10 heart attack deaths have been reported at garba events in Gujarat, of which the youngest was just 17 years old.

Unhealthy lifestyle choices, bad food choices and many other factors take a toll on our health and can sometimes lead to a heart attack. In a conversation with Dr. Sashi K Srivastav, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospitals Hyderabad, Jagran English tried to explore the probable causes of why people are suffering a heart attack, especially youngsters.

Watch the video below about heart diseases in women, symptoms, causes and prevention: 

Dr Srivastav explained that many youngsters in their twenties and thirties are falling prey to heart diseases. There are many contributory factors to this new crisis. Lifestyle changes are one of the most significant causes. The amount of physical activity indulged in by today’s youngsters has decreased. The use of lifts, vehicles and automation at home and office, and work from home, all resulted in making youngsters couch potatoes and contributed to obesity, thus increasing the risk of heart disease.

Heart Healthy Habits

Avoid Smoking

Avoid smoking to prevent heart-related diseases (Image Credits: Canva)

Smoking, alcohol and increasing consumption of junk food have contributed to heart diseases. The chemicals in cigarette smoke cause the blood to thicken and form clots inside veins and arteries. The blockage from a clot can lead to heart attack and sudden death. Therefore, avoid smoking and switch to healthy eating habits.

Exercises

Regarding physical exercise, it is imperative to have a cardiac consult before embarking on endurance sports and extremely intense exercise regimens.

Periodic Health Checkups

Heredity factor also plays a major role. A family history of heart disease results in the younger age of onset of heart disease in the offspring. Hence periodic health checks are necessary in those with a family history of heart disease.

Manage Stress

There is also a need to reduce the amount of stress in professional and personal life. Stress causes the release of hormones which help in the short term but are damaging in the long term. Finding ways to relax like travelling, developing hobbies, meditation and yoga can help reduce heart disease caused by excess stress.

Manage stress by practising meditation and yoga (Image Credits: Canva)

Dr Srivastav concluded by explaining that young adults need to balance life with good nutrition, adequate exercise, a healthy lifestyle without addictions, and periodic checkups and reduce stress to avoid falling prey to heart diseases.