September 29 is World Heart Day -- One World, One Home, One Heart

World Heart Day 2011 - One World, One Home, One HeartSeptember 29, 2011 marks the 11 year anniversary of celebrating World Heart Day, an international campaign created in 2000 by the World Heart Federation, a non-governmental organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, to increase public awareness about the threat of heart disease and stroke.

The theme of World Heart Day 2011 is “One World, One Home, One Heart.” As part of this theme, the World Heart Federation, the World Health Organization, and the American Heart Association are calling on individuals to take steps to reduce their own and their family’s risk of heart disease and stroke, such as eating a healthy diet, increasing physical activity, and not smoking.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease causes 29 per cent of all deaths globally each year, making it the world’s number one killer.

According to the World Health Organization, “Cardiovascular diseases are the world’s largest killers, claiming 17.3 million lives a year. Risk factors for heart disease and stroke include raised blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, smoking, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables, overweight, obesity and physical inactivity.”

What Can You Do to Lower Your Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke?

As reported by the CDC, the World Heart Federation has identified four actions that you and your family can take to reduce risk of heart attack and stroke:

“1. Ban smoking from your home.

* Stop smoking tobacco in the home to improve your own and your children’s heart health.
* Implement a new rule in your home: for every cigarette someone smokes, an extra household chore is waiting!

2. Stock your home with healthy food options.

* Start the day with a piece of fruit or prepare your own lunch at home to ensure healthy options are taken to work or school.
* Make sure every evening meal contains at least two to three servings of vegetables per person.

3. Be active.

* Families should limit the amount of time spent in front of the TV to less than two hours per day.
* Organize outdoor activities for the family, such as cycling or hiking trips, or simply playing in the garden.
* When possible, instead of using the car, take your bicycle or walk from home to your destination.

4. Know your numbers.

* Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (BMI).
* Once you know your overall CVD risk, you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health. Make this action plan clearly visible in your home as a reminder!”

Here is additional information provided by the CDC on steps you can take to live a healthy lifestyle that may prevent or lower your risks of heart attack or stroke:

“Engaging in healthy behaviors helps to control certain risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and prevent heart disease and stroke,” the CDC states.

What to Do if a Family Member is Suffering a Heart Attack or Stroke?

Not all heart events are preventable.  It is therefore important to know what action to take should a heart attack or stroke occur in the home.

The CDC presents the following tips and links to additional information on what to do if you suspect a family member of having a heart attack or stroke:

Seek medical help immediately

“Over 70 per cent of all cardiac and breathing emergencies occur in the home when a family member is present and available to help a victim.” It is important to know the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack, and call 911 immediately. Seconds can save a life.

Learn More

Activities for World Heart Day

Activities organized by members and partners of the World Heart Federation include workplace campaigns, public talks, concerts, and sporting events.

The national member organizations in the United States are the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association.

The American Heart Association (AHA), encourages people to honor World Heart Day by joining in one of many Heart Walks taking place throughout the U.S. The AHA provides an interactive map on its website HeartWalk.org, to help you find and join a Heart Walk in your area.

More Information

For additional information on World Heart Day, contact the Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at cdcinfo@cdc.gov.

CDC funds heart disease and stroke prevention programs in 41 states and the District of Columbia. Read additional information about these programs.

See also,

And see, the HelpingYouCare™ resource pages on Heart Disease & Stroke, including

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Copyright © 2011 Care-Help LLC, publisher of HelpingYouCare™.

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1 comment to September 29 is World Heart Day — One World, One Home, One Heart

  • Karen

    Excellent article; good reminders about simple things we all can do to live healthier lives and limit risks of heart attacks. Helpful links too. Thank you for a very helpful website.

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