On the 29th of September 2019 it’s World Heart Day. It’s the day chosen by the World Heart Federation where everyone is asked to make a promise to be a “Heart Hero” to encourage themselves and others to act now to live longer, better, heart-healthy lifestyles.
Every heartbeat plays a vital role in our health and wellbeing, yet our heart often comes last when we take care of ourselves. The Heart Hero promise is designed to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease, to recognise the signs of heart disease, and to help each other to live heart-healthy lifestyles.
The Heart Hero promise is simple – to look after your own heart and the hearts of those around you.
“My Heart, for Your Heart, for All Our Hearts”
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is currently the leading cause of death and disability in the world, claiming 17,900,000 lives every year. This figure represents a third of all deaths on the planet and approximately 85% of these deaths are due to heart disease and strokes.
By raising awareness of the symptoms and causes of CVD, and giving employers and employees the tools they need to make decisions and provide appropriate treatment, together we can make a difference. The World Heart Federation suggests up to 80% of premature deaths from CVD could be avoided with small lifestyle changes.
At Essential 6 we are supporting World Heart Day by recommending 6 promises you can make individually or as part of your team, in the workplace and at home. We all have hearts to look after and with the right tools and training we can help promote healthier lifestyles within our community.
Essential 6 Promises for Heart-Healthy Lifestyles
- A promise at home to eat more healthily, aiming to buy fresh fruit and produce. This also includes reducing pre-packaged food, microwave meals and takeaways.
- A promise to your body to exercise more, aiming for 30 minutes of activity every day. Can you take the stairs instead of the lift, go to the gym or cycle to work once or twice a week?
- A promise to say no to smoking. Tobacco use kills 6 million people a year and exposure to second-hand smoke kills 600,000 people. Stopping smoking substantially reduces CVD.
- A promise for healthcare professionals to help others achieve heart-healthy lifestyles. Are there more patients who need advice on stopping smoking or reducing their cholesterol?
- A promise for employers and policymakers to introduce and implement robust health and safety policies, to give everyone first aid training, confidence and skills.
- A promise as an employee to support a heart-healthy workplace. Can you organise a Heart Heroes event to help promote a heart-healthy lifestyle in your community?
Small lifestyle changes can substantially reduce the risk of CVD, heart disease and strokes, and education is the key to knowing the risks and how to deal with them. Having healthcare training in the workplace instils confidence in employees knowing their welfare is important and valued.
Essential 6 offers bespoke and tailored workplace healthcare training and certification for individuals and organisations.
