Having a healthy heart prolongs life

The Netcare Krugersdorp Hospital celebrated Heart Awareness Month by giving the community the opportunity to have the health their hearts checked and to get advice on how to prevent heart disease.

Over a hundred people made their way to a tent set up outside the hospital’s main entrance on 25 September to gain more knowledge about the importance of sustaining a healthy lifestyle.

Martie Joubert, the team leader for the Heart Day Awareness Campaign says it was great to see the outcome.

“We decided to involve various of our stakeholders to help us to organise such a day and I am glad to see that it was successful.”

She says that the services rendered on this day were free of charge and community members were able to have their blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol levels checked, as well as their body fat percentage measured. All the information was stored in a computer, which almost immediately showed how several lifestyle choices affect one’s heart.

“We were prepared to give each person some advice about what they need to do to ensure a longer and fulfilling life. The whole day was dedicated to making people aware of the different types of heart diseases.”

Physician Dr Cornelis de Hoog says one can prevent heart disease by managing high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes with medication.

A change in lifestyle such as eating healthy, losing weight and limit stress will contribute to a healthy heart.

“It is important to exercise for at least 30 minutes three times a week.”

Regular (once a year) check-ups such as testing blood pressure, as well as cholesterol and glucose levels are very important.

De Hoog says that childhood obesity is also a burden as there are more than 42 million obese children worldwide.

“In Western countries nearly 30 per cent of children below the age of 12 are overweight and South Africa is not far behind.”

He says this is caused by increased consumption of energy-dense, high-calorie, high-salt foods and fizzy drinks as well as decreased physical activity by spending excessive amounts of time in front of the television or by playing video games.

The hospital thanks all its stakeholders such as Diabetics West, Lancet Laboratories, Ronel Venter Physiotherapy Inc, Drs Du Buisson, Kramer, Swart, Bouwer Inc (Pathologists), Smit, Thorius & Odendaal Inc (Occupational and Physiotherapists) and Nerina Marais (Biokineticist) for supporting the day.