World Heart Day 2024: A global call to heart health with the theme ‘Use Heart for Action’
Every year on September 29, the World Heart Federation launches the World Heart Day campaign. Its objective is to raise public awareness of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), the leading cause of mortality worldwide, by emphasizing the importance of heart health and motivating individuals, groups, and institutions to take steps to reduce the risk of heart-related problems.
In an effort to raise awareness and inspire global action against cardiovascular diseases, the World Heart Federation and the World Health Organization began to recognize World Heart Day together in 2000. September 24, 2000, was the first day of observation. Up until 2011, the event took place on the final Sunday in September each year.
The year's theme ‘Use Heart for Action’ which emphasizes using the right tools to manage and prevent cardiovascular illnesses. Being aware of concerns including high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, and obesity can help one take charge of their life.
Here’s how you can protect your heart:
1. Healthy Diet: A healthy diet consists of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains with less saturated fats, salt, and sugar, which can reduce the risk of CVD to a great extent.
2. The most crucial measure is regular physical activity. Performing moderate exercise for at least 30 minutes a day keeps the heart active and healthy and improves circulation.
3. Smoking Cessation Tobacco smoking is a leading cause of heart diseases. Smoking cessation benefits heart health and wellness.
4. Management of Stress: There is much concerning the impacts of excessive stress on an individual's lifestyle. Other habits related to excessive stress include overeating, lack of exercise, and adding to heart conditions. Meditation, yoga, and mindfulness will be beneficial in this aspect.
5. Regular checkups: Regular checkup of blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose levels and other examinations that may be relevant have been crucial in identifying possible heart conditions when treated in time.
The practice of maintaining a healthy heart is symbolized by World Heart Day. The government should introduce more laws that promote a healthy environment. Some of these laws could include accessibility and availability of healthcare services, safety in places where people may exercise, and more affordable healthcare. Communities could organize cardiovascular awareness events, free health screenings, and related awareness campaigns to achieve this goal.
While communities and governments can have a significant impact, each person's sphere of influence has some responsibility as well. Making small changes to one's diet or using the stairs instead of an elevator can have a positive impact on one's heart health.
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India, US trade team to start three-day talks from Dec 10: Sources
New Delhi (PTI): India and the United States will commence three-day talks on the first phase of their proposed bilateral trade agreement here from December 10, sources said.
The visit is crucial as India and the US are working to finalise the first tranche of the pact.
"The three-day talks will start on December 10. It will conclude on December 12, and it is not a formal round of talks," said one of the sources.
The US team will be led by Deputy United States Trade Representative (USTR) Rick Switzer.
This visit of the US officials marks their second trip since the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff and an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian goods entering the American market due to the purchase of Russian crude oil.
On September 16, the US officials last visited India.
On September 22, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal also led an official delegation to the US for trade talks. Goyal had also visited Washington in May.
While the USA's chief negotiator for the pact is Assistant US Trade Representative for South and Central Asia Brendan Lynch, the Indian side is led by Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce Darpan Jain.
The talks are also important as Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal has recently stated that India is hopeful of reaching a framework trade deal with the US this year itself, which should address the tariff issue to the benefit of Indian exporters.
While noting that the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) will take time, Agrawal has added that India is engaged in protracted negotiations with the US on a framework trade deal that will address the reciprocal tariff challenge faced by Indian exporters.
India and the US are having two parallel negotiations -- one on a framework trade deal to address tariffs and another on a comprehensive trade deal.
In February, leaders of the two countries directed officials to negotiate an agreement.
It was planned to conclude the first tranche of the pact by the fall of 2025. So far, six rounds of negotiations have been held. The agreement aims to more than double bilateral trade to USD 500 billion by 2030, from the current USD 191 billion.
The US remained India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25, with bilateral trade valued at USD 131.84 billion (USD 86.5 billion exports).
The US accounts for about 18 per cent of India's total goods exports, 6.22 per cent of its imports, and 10.73 per cent of its total merchandise trade.
According to exporters, the agreement is important as India's merchandise exports to the US declined for the second consecutive month in October, falling by 8.58 per cent to USD 6.3 billion due to the hefty tariffs imposed by Washington.
