A heartfelt promise to my heart!

It is true that we women take less care of our health than we should. It has nothing to do with ignorance or lack of awareness, trust me. It just stems from the fact that in our checklist of priorities, we forget to list ourselves. Working women have too much on their hands and the house makers have no time. I say so because despite being a medical doctor myself, I usually forget to do anything proactively for fitness. I just keep procrastinating, thinking that I will start once I am done with the work at hand. Work never ends and it is my non-medico husband who reminds me constantly to take my vitamins and go for a walk. I myself laugh at the irony of it but I guess we women are just programmed that way.
My husband and I are staying apart since a fortnight ‘coz of his posting and now I have suddenly realised how much I depend on him to take care of me. Last Sunday, while we were celebrating World Heart Day at my hospital, I resolved to take care of my health on my own, now that hubby dear is away. I must take the onus. I have the knowledge, I have the resources…all that is lacking is motivation.
On World Heart Day this year, I have made a heartfelt promise to my heart
”I will take care of you!”
So just a couple of days into execution of the promise, let me share with you some easy tips that will help me in my journey towards fitness and a healthy heart.

Why worry? Women don’t get heart attacks…right?
You cannot be more wrong. Somehow, many women have this misconception in their minds that is anything but true. Facts reveal otherwise. WHO pegs cardiovascular deaths in women at 8.6 million, 34% of which are Indian women. Shocking, isn’t it? Moreover, heart attack can have an atypical presentation in women, with symptoms of nausea, indigestion and shoulder pains instead of the usual chest pain. Women also avoid going for regular check-ups resulting in missed/delayed diagnosis of heart conditions.
So wake up and take your heart seriously. You just have one and the danger is real.

The solution
Don’t lose heart( pun intended)! The solution isn’t difficult. It doesn’t take much to ensure a healthy heart. You just need to stick to incorporating a healthy lifestyle. This is how I intend to do it and you can too!


-Work out in a fun way!
I am not a gym person. Working out in a gym is an extremely boring task for me. If you can hit the gym, way to go girl! If not, don’t fret. Working out doesn’t have to be a drag. It can be done in an interesting way too. I love dancing,so I am planning to take up Zumba which is sort of dance and aerobics mixed together. You can even dance in front of your TV if you want. If your child leaves you with no time, maybe you both can dance together. The aim is to sweat it out. Choose your way!

-Walk the talk!
None of us has the time to work out but all of us have the time to talk on our cellphones. We can’t do away with the phones; why not add in some activity? I have decided I will not sit and talk on the phone. I will walk, whether inside my home or in my office(let people think I am crazy) or on the terrace and even in the garden. You can do the same. It is a known fact that 30 minutes of walking can do wonders for your health. Even walking for 10 minutes thrice a day is as useful. So go for a walk and if you can’t then whenever that phone rings,get up and get going!

-Chuck out the stress!
Our lifestyles today have a lot of stress and too little of activity. The combination can be disastrous. I have a tendency to take too much stress and I can’t help it. So I have decided that I will try meditation,even if for a couple of minutes in a day. It is important to de-stress your body…as important as detoxifying it. As a working woman, the pressures of work and home sometimes really bear me down. I understand it is imperative that I teach my mind to relax so that my health doesn’t suffer.
You can try meditating too. Yoga, pilates and meditation are being taught nowadays as a combination as well.
Equally important is the inculcation of a positive outlook in life.

-Eat right!
Our bodies need an appropriate amount of nutrients to maintain a healthy weight and health. Under eating and over feeding are both harmful. Energy balance can only be maintained if we eat the right foodstuffs in the right quantity. I am not particularly fond of any junk food but I aim to give it up all together. High fibre, fat-free diet rich in vegetables,fruits and lean protein must be consumed for good health.

-Act now!
Most importantly, do not wait. Start taking care of yourself right now. Do not wait for your child to grow up or your project to end. Don’t put off working out till the day you ‘have the time’. Do not wait for anything, do not wait for tomorrow! Today is what you have. Resolve to act today!!

I have taken my first step towards my commitment to my heart and health. Take yours right away!

Author’s note:“I am joining the Saffolalife #ProtectHerHeart initiative and pledging my support to better heart health in Association with BlogAdda.”