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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Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani to be India's next Chief of Defence Staff
New Delhi (PTI): Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani will be India's new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and his key task is set to be to implement the ambitious theaterisation plan that seeks to ensure tri-services synergy.
He will succeed Gen Anil Chauhan whose tenure will come to an end on May 30.
Gen Chauhan, a former Eastern Army Commander, took charge as the country's senior-most military commander in September 2022, over nine months after the first CDS, General Bipin Rawat, died in a helicopter crash in Tamil Nadu.
The government has appointed Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (Retd) as the Chief of Defence Staff, who will also function as the secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, the defence ministry said on Saturday.
Lt Gen Subramani is currently serving as the military adviser to the National Security Council Secretariat.
Prior to that, he was the Vice Chief of the Army Staff from July 1, 2024 to July 31, 2025, and was General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Central Command from March 2023 till June 2024.
As Chief of Defence Staff, Lt Gen Subramani's primary task will be to implement the theaterisation model to bring in tri-services synergy by rolling out integrated military commands.
The officer is a graduate of the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy. He was commissioned into the eighth battalion of the Garhwal Rifles on December 14, 1985.
Lt Gen Subramani is an alumnus of Joint Services Command Staff College, Bracknell (UK), and the National Defence College, New Delhi. He holds a Master of Arts degree from King's College London and an MPhil in defence studies from Madras University.
In his illustrious career spanning over 40 years, Lt Gen Subramani has served across a wide spectrum of conflict and terrain profiles and tenanted a host of Command, Staff and Instructional appointments.
He commanded the 16 Garhwal Rifles in Counter-Insurgency operations in Assam as part of Operation Rhino, the 168 Infantry Brigade in Jammu and Kashmir, and the 17 Mountain Division in the Central Sector, all during a challenging operational environment.
He also has the distinction of commanding two Corps, including the Indian Army's premier strike Corps on the Western Front.
