Day: January 18, 2007

Seems like us South Asians die earlier from heart attacks.

ScienceDaily: South Asians Have Higher Levels Of Heart Attack Risk Factors At Younger Ages

Deaths related to cardiovascular disease occur 5 to 10 years earlier in South Asian countries than in Western countries, according to background information in the article. This has raised the possibility that South Asians exhibit a special susceptibility for acute myocardial infarction (AMI; heart attack) that is not explained by traditional risk factors.

But why?

The prevalence of protective risk factors (leisure time physical activity, regular alcohol intake, and daily intake of fruits and vegetables) were markedly lower in South Asian study participants compared with those from other countries.

Um, it is mainly behavioral, not genetic according to the authors, and hence can be mitigated by lifestyle changes.

Well, I guess it is time to take a personal stock as of 1-18-2007:

• Weight – Well, I am in the lower end of the healthy BMI.
• Exercise – 4-5 days of 45 minutes – 1 hour per day, pretty good.
• Food – Well, mostly good, especially if the candy can be avoided. I need to eat more vegetables, but I eat a lot of high fibre, and whole wheat food, probably not enough protein, mostly vegetarian.
• Alcohol (1-2 drinks is apparently a heart protector) – Amen, I am a religious one drink a day partaker, more on weekends :-;
• Smoking – Well, gave that up a while back, now to quit that occasional “party” smoke.
• Stress – Well, not so good, this is probably the area I would need to work on the most.
• Hypertension – Well, I am borderline on my blood pressure readings 🙁 Need to work on that.
• Cholesterol – Still waiting for results on my physical.

On the whole, I seem to be in decent shape. It’s good to take stock once in a while.