Heat And Heart: There Is A Link

New Delhi: Every morning, Pintu, sets out on his autorickshaw feeling hopeful. His sister’s wedding is around the corner and he is preparing himself, saving money. But as the sun gets hotter, he feels tired, lazy and demotivated. Pintu says, “I don’t feel like working in this heat, I feel lazy throughout the day.” The heat is back! And so are its scorching ways! Staying cool is an option, but not for many. The auto driver, the fruit seller, the traffic cop, the list is long.

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Every day numerous people must stay out in the scorching sun, exposed to high temperatures for extended periods.

But did you know extreme temperatures aren’t just uncomfortable, they can actually be harmful?
Spending hours in the sun can make our bodies immune to high temperatures increasing the strain on our hearts.

Padma Shri Dr Praveen Chandra, Chairman, Interventional Cardiology, Medanta Medicity, provides valuable insights on the same.

Dr Chandra says,

Extreme heat conditions pose a risk of heart complications, at times leading to fatal outcomes.

Dr Chandra further added,

Extreme temperatures, whether hot or cold, significantly impact individuals, potentially exacerbating heart conditions for many.

Also Read: How Is Climate Change Impacting Our Health?

Vikas sells fruit juice even when the sun is burning hot. He spends eight or nine hours squeezing oranges and making juices with different flavours. He does it because he has to support his family.

Vikas said,

I’m too busy to think about my feelings and health even though I’m tired, I keep going because it’s my job. I try to find shade so that I can work comfortably when the sun is too hot.

Even for people who are not required to be in the sun throughout, it’s impossible to completely avoid the heat. So the only way out is to follow some basic rules to keep ourselves, especially our hearts, safe.

Dr. Chandra shares some tips. Follow these to maintain your heart and overall health this summer season:

• Take breaks and seek shade if you must spend prolonged hours in the heat.
• Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
• Cover yourself when working in the sun.
• Eat well

NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which in its Season 10 is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Ayushmann Khurrana. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – the LGBTQ population, indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In a world post COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fight malnutrition, mental well-being, self-care, science and health, adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.