Healthy lifestyle

Last month, a report by the Gauri Healthy Heart Project (GHHP) revealed that people in Jammu and Kashmir suffer from uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes, and abnormal lipid profiles despite taking medicines. The revelations are not shocking since people here have adopted a sedentary lifestyle and are not willing to discipline their eating habits. As per the report, the three ailments were among the leading cause of heart diseases in the union territory. As per the experts who prepared the report, they saw many cases of heart ailments caused by high blood pressure and diabetes and decided to do a camp in collaboration with the district health authorities. The aim was to see patients already on treatment for both these maladies. To their surprise more than half of them were poorly controlled despite being on medicines. From Kupwara town, the experts went to Machil close to LoC with assistance from local authorities and did a camp there. The observations were similar. The report that was released a year after the launching of the GHHP activities in the union territory said it observed a similar pattern in other districts of Jammu and Kashmir. This experience led the team to go to different districts of the UT with the same aim. One-day camps were held under strict COVID protocol in less developed areas of different districts. Krimshore and Ringzabal (Khan Sahib) in Budgam, Rajpora in Pulwama, Mir Bahri in the backwaters of Dal Lake, the Leper Colony, Bahrar Srinagar, Banihal town in Ramban and Jagti migrant camp in Jammu. The observations, according to the team, were the same as seen in other districts: Uncontrolled BP and diabetes and abnormal lipid profiles despite taking medicines. These problems are the harbingers of heart-related issues especially myocardial infarctions. In the report, eminent cardiologist Prof Upendra Kaul and GHHP founder-director Prof. Upendra Kaul said they also noticed high blood pressure among the youth involved in substance abuse. The rising incidence of substance use in the valley caught their attention and they held a one-day camp at the Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (IMHANS), Srinagar. There was a young population with all the psychosocial issues but very little diabetes and high BP. Kaul said they had launched their programme due to increasing cases of heart attacks especially among the younger population in Jammu and Kashmir. He batted for awareness over ‘modifiable risk factors like cholesterol, blood pressure, stress, diabetes, high lipids, abnormal obesity, decreased intake of fruits and vegetables, decreased exercise and alcohol consumption. He also underscored the need of having regular health checkups. Interestingly, the GHHP has kept an aim of reducing heart attacks by 50 percent under its ‘Mission of No Heart Attacks by 2025’.