ANTIFRAGILE: WAYS TO GUARD YOUR HEART

Watsons health expert shares heart-friendly tips to pump you up and keep you going

Cardiovascular diseases cause 1 in every 3 deaths, making it one of the world’s leading killers.^[1] In fact, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA)’s data, ischemic heart disease is the top cause of death in 2021 with 17.9 percent of the total deaths.^[2]

This February marks not just Valentine’s Day but Philippine Heart Month. The yearly celebration aims to promote cardiovascular health and wellness. Protecting our hearts against potential heartbreaks and ailments is essential. While the heart is the hardest working muscle in the body,^[3] it can still become fragile if not taken care of.

Keep a healthy diet

Heart diseases are serious and fatal but it is possible to prevent them even before symptoms arise. Keeping a healthy diet gives you a good start.

Add fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, and nuts into your meals, and avoid processed, canned, and fast foods. If you’re a fan of salty meats, try seasoning them with Calamansi juice and vinegar instead.^[4]

Losing weight is possible with this new diet. Once you’ve reached the right body mass index (BMI), it is ideal to maintain it to keep your heart healthy. For example, obesity is one of the most common risk factors for heart disease.^[5]

Move more

If maintaining a healthy diet proves to be more challenging than expected, move more! Exercising regularly will greatly help the body become stronger. For those who are too busy to sneak in some workout in their daily routine, increasing your mundane physical activities to 2.5 hours per week will be enough.^[6] It’s as easy as walking your dog more, brisk walking to the store, choosing stairs over elevators or escalators, dancing to your favorite song, or doing household chores.

Improve lifestyle

Much like obesity, smoking tobacco, and excessively drinking alcohol are risk factors for heart disease.^[7] This includes second-hand smoking and e-cigarettes.^[8] Make the right lifestyle choice by avoiding these products. Tobacco is proven harmful to the heart and alcohol has been linked to 200 diseases and injury conditions.^[9]

Chronic stress also triggers inflammation, high blood pressure, and unhealthy changes in the body.^[10] If you suffer from this, meditation, yoga, and deep breathing are your best friends.

Heart health check

There are more specific ways to care for the heart. The Watsons Health Hub provides tips to maintain the right levels of cholesterol and blood pressure as well as promote heart function. For example, taking daily supplements can be a good addition to your heart-healthy lifestyle.^[11] Fiber decreases the amount of cholesterol your body gets from food, Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) helps lower blood pressure, and fish oil is full of omega-3 fatty acids that cut down up to 30% of triglycerides, an unhealthy fat in your blood.^[12]

For your complete cardiovascular medicines and other health needs, Watsons has over 1,000 stores nationwide that offer over-the-counter and prescription medication as well as expert care through in-store pharmacists, specialists, and staff. You may also conveniently shop online via the Watsons app available for iOS and Android.

While these tips may help you keep your heart healthy, Watsons resident cardiologist Dr. Tony Leachon recommends setting an appointment with your doctor to make sure you are up-to-date with your heart’s condition. “Especially if heart disease runs in your family, it’s best to consult an expert to learn about your risks and how you can manage them,”^[13] says Dr. Leachon.

Dr. Leachon added that if you’re experiencing chest pain or discomfort, shortness of breath, sweating, unusual tiredness, sudden dizziness, nausea or vomiting, or cold sweat, inform your doctor right away.^[14]

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About Watsons

Watsons is part of the Health and Beauty Store chain of A.S Watson, the largest health, beauty, cosmetics, and perfumery retailer in the world. Today, Watsons H&B Asia is the leading health and beauty chain in the continent with successful operations in 13 markets. In 2002, A.S. Watson Group joined hands with SM Prime Holdings Inc., the Philippines’ leading shopping mall developer. The partnership brought about the first Watsons stores in SM Megamall and The Podium (Ortigas).

Today, Watsons operates 1000+ stores in the Philippines serving more than 250,000 customers per day. Watsons strives to ensure that its customers get the best value for their money through monthly promotions, special offers, and continuous consumer marketing programs. Each Watsons store houses nothing but the best brands from top manufacturers all over the world and also carries its own competitively priced, high-quality private labels and brands. With more than 1,000 brands ranging from medicines, cosmetics, and fragrances to personal care items and general merchandise, Watsons Your Personal Store delivers only the best health, wellness, and beauty solutions to each and every customer.

^[1] How to take care of your heart health. (2020, Feb 14). World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/how-to-take-care-of-your-heart-health. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[2] DOH, WHO, RTSL, AND WHF COMMIT TO STRENGTHEN COLLABORATION FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES PREVENTION. (2022, Sep 28). Department of Health (DOH). https://doh.gov.ph/press-release/DOH-WHO-RTSL-AND-WHF-COMMIT-TO-STRENGTHEN-COLLABORATION-FOR-CARDIOVASCULAR-DISEASES-PREVENTION. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[3] The Heart – the Hardest Working Muscle. (2022, Nov 23). Bayer. https://www.bayer.com/en/news-stories/the-heart-the-hardest-working-muscle. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[4] How to take care of your heart health. (2020, Feb 14). World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/how-to-take-care-of-your-heart-health. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[5] About Heart Disease. (2022, July 12). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[6] How to take care of your heart health. (2020, Feb 14). World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/how-to-take-care-of-your-heart-health. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[7] About Heart Disease. (2022, July 12). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[8] 8 Science-Backed Ways to Prevent Heart Attacks, According to New Guidelines. (2019, Mar 18). TIME. https://time.com/5552718/how-to-prevent-heart-attack/. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[9] How to take care of your heart health. (2020, Feb 14). World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/philippines/news/feature-stories/detail/how-to-take-care-of-your-heart-health. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[10] Heart health: Diet, supplements & tips. (2022, Sep 14). Watsons PH. https://www.watsons.com.ph/blog/health-wellbeing/heart-healthy-lifestyle. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[11] Supplements for Heart Health. (2021, Oct 5). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/supplements-heart-healthy. Accessed 15 February 2023.

^[12] Supplements for Heart Health. (2021, Oct 5). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/supplements-heart-healthy. Accessed 15 February 2023.

^[13] Heart health: Diet, supplements & tips. (2022, Sep 14). Watsons PH. https://www.watsons.com.ph/blog/health-wellbeing/heart-healthy-lifestyle. Accessed 25 January 2023.

^[14] Heart health: Diet, supplements & tips. (2022, Sep 14). Watsons PH. https://www.watsons.com.ph/blog/health-wellbeing/heart-healthy-lifestyle. Accessed 25 January 2023.