Don't miss a beat: Protect your hearth
Protect Your Heart with Proven Lifestyle Choices
World Heart Day, observed globally on September 29th, serves as a powerful reminder: cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death worldwide, yet most cases are preventable. This year’s theme, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” is a call for everyone to focus on sustainable, evidence-based habits that keep the heart healthy—today and for years to come.
Lifestyle Modifications: Strong Evidence, Lasting Impact
A growing body of research underlines that healthy lifestyle behaviors—including diet, exercise, not smoking, and managing stress—play a fundamental role in both preventing and managing cardiovascular diseases. Unlike medication, which often targets just one risk factor, integrated lifestyle habits reduce risk across multiple fronts, including high blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, diabetes, and even stress.
Key practices backed by scientific observation
- A heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean or DASH diet, lowers bad cholesterol and blood pressure, while reducing inflammation.
- Regular activity—at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week—improves heart function, helps manage weight, and is linked to lower risk of heart attacks and strokes.
- Quitting tobacco and controlling stress lead to rapid, measurable improvements in cardiovascular outcomes.
- Cardiorespiratory fitness is now recognized as a major, yet often under-measured, factor for lifelong heart health.
Healthy Lifestyle: A Powerful Yet Underused Prevention Tool
Large studies, such as those summarized in the recent European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS) commentary, show the combination of five lifestyle habits (healthy diet, moderate alcohol use, not smoking, regular physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight) can prevent up to 79% of first heart attacks in a general population. Most of this risk reduction comes from eating well, not smoking, moving often, and limiting alcohol use—not from just one change, but the power of all together.
Yet, another key insight from the evidence: while almost everyone knows what is healthy, very few manage to sustain all these habits for years. Challenges include economic pressures, cultural preferences, and information gaps. Public health policy, community support, and practical education are critical—especially for those at higher risk due to social or economic factors.
From Clinical Guidelines to Daily Life
Let´s move from theory to very practical tips.
Start Strong: Morning Tips
Begin with water: Hydrate after waking, aim for at least two glasses to start.
Breakfast matters: Choose whole grains (like oats, barley, or whole-grain Arabic bread), fresh fruit, and a source of protein (low-fat laban, labneh, or eggs). Avoid processed meats and sugary pastries.
Morning walk: Walk outside (weather permitting) or use indoor spaces/malls for 20–30 minutes before heat peaks. If walking outdoors, go before 8 a.m. or after sunset.
Smart Eating: Localized Nutrition
Adopt the “plate method”: Fill half with vegetables and salad (tabbouleh, fattoush), one quarter with grilled lean protein (fish, chicken breast, grilled kebabs), one quarter with whole grains (brown rice, whole-wheat bread).
Enjoy regional produce: Use dates, figs, tomatoes, cucumbers, and legumes as staples. These are plentiful, affordable, and heart-healthy.
Choose healthy oils: Use olive oil or canola instead of palm or ghee, and limit butter and cream in cooking.
Limit processed snacks and fast foods: Reduce intake of salty chips, fried foods, and packaged sweets. Especially avoid “snacks on the run”. Sit down for three regular meals you enjoy, rather than snacking while you are on a way or watching TV.
Small portions of sweets: Enjoy traditional desserts (kunafa, luqaimat) sparingly, ideally after lunch—not each evening.
Stay Active—Even in Extreme Heat
Aim for 6000–10,000 steps per day: Take breaks for movement throughout the day—stand up and stretch every hour if working in an office.
Home-based exercise: Try indoor walking, body-weight exercises, or videos. Gyms and mall walking are good options during very hot months.
Embrace winter times for outdoor activities: have fun outside with sportive activities like playing basketball or cricket, take a bike ride (where it´s safe), use parks and recreation areas.
Family involvement: Encourage walks, swimming, or play in the evenings when it’s cooler.
Healthy Lifestyle: A Powerful Yet Underused Prevention Tool
Don’t smoke or vape: If quit support is needed, contact national cessation helplines (available in most GCC countries). The Ministry of Health and Prevention’s National Tobacco Control Program offers support via their call center at 800 11111. More information and support at https://www.adphc.gov.ae/en/Public-Health-Programs/Together-Toward-A-Tobacco-Free-Abu-Dhabi
Routine checks: Annually monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose. Earlier and more frequent checks are recommended if overweight, have a family history of diabetes, or are over 40.
Manage stress: Use prayer, meditation, or deep breathing. Social connection and regular rest breaks at work can reduce stress.
Get enough sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours, avoid late-night caffeine (Arabic coffee, black tea), and keep your room cool.
Weekly Habits
Regular meal planning: Shop for fresh produce and plan meals for the week. Batch-cook regional dishes with vegetables and legumes.
Limit dining out: When eating at restaurants or gatherings, ask for grilled rather than fried foods, smaller portions, and more salads.
Community activities: Join walking groups, local sports clubs, or mosque-based health initiatives for group motivation.
With consistency, these daily and weekly strategies are proven to lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, help maintain a healthy weight, and add years of heart-healthy life specific to the GCC population.
Don’t Miss a Beat: Making Habits Stick
The main challenge is not knowing but sustaining. Solutions lie in personalizing approaches, using digital and community tools, and policies that prioritize prevention at scale. Get connected! Get supported! Get started!
On World Heart Day, commit to not missing a beat by protecting the most vital muscle in the body—the heart. Every positive choice truly matters.
