Your heart may not be as old as you, doctors say

Did you know that your heart’s age may not be the same as your actual age?

During the Philippine Heart Association’s (PHA) “Usapang Puso sa Puso,” Dr. Augusto Niccolo Salalima from the Philippine Heart Association Council on Preventive Cardiology explained that risk factors add years to your heart age.

It is not the same as an individual's chronological age, or the number of years they have spent on earth.

“When we say heart age, that means your biological age… It will depend sa mga risk factors mo na present sa'yo na para makaroon kamo ng mga heart problems or heart diseases,” he said.

(When we say heart age, that means your biological age… It will depend on your risk factors that are present in you for you to have heart problems or heart diseases.)

For instance, according to Salalima, a 25-year-old with high-risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, a smoking history, and being overweight or obese may have a heart age of almost 50 years.

On the other hand, older people who lead good lifestyles and have no risk factors may have younger hearts.

“Maganda ang diet mo, 'yung exercise regularly, controlled yung hypertension mo or diabetes. So pwede pong kahit na 70 years old ka, your heart may [be aged] like 40 or 45 years old,” he said.

(Your diet is good, you exercise regularly, and you have controlled your hypertension or diabetes. So it can be that even if you are 70 years old, your heart may be aged like 40 or 45 years old.)

“Sabi nga nila, age is just a number. Hindi ibig sabihin matanda ka na, there is nothing to life after that. Kailangan nating maalala na as we look forward to our birthdays, as we look forward to our everyday, very, very important talaga yung quality of life. Hindi lang yung quantity o yung ilang taon ka na, pero yung quality of your life with your family, with your health, and with your community as well,” added PHA-PCC Director III Dr. Iris Garcia.

(Like they said, age is just a number. It doesn't mean that just because you're old, there is nothing to life after that. We need to remember that as we look forward to our birthdays, as we look forward to our everyday, quality of life is very, very important. It's not just a quantity or how old you are, but the quality of your life with your family, with your health, and with your community as well.)

Garcia added that since patient treatments are never the same, it is critical that patients seek consultation to confirm their estimated heart ages and receive customized treatment programs.

What steps can you take to strengthen your heart? Start early. 

“I think nutrition should really start young, that we are already aware of what we eat since childhood… I think one of the ways of building a healthier heart for the children at a young age is to incorporate healthy nutritious foods. If we can raise our kids who are, um, inclined to eat healthier foods. So in the Philippines, we have a lot of vegetables, and we have a lot of fruits. I think we really have to put that Filipino practice back, that we don't always give rewards to fast food when we need to reward them,” Philippine College of Medical Nutrition Physicians fellow Dr. Naheeda Mustofa said.

She recommended the “Pinggang Pinoy” of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), a plate model with specific healthy food portions.

“The Pinggang Pinoy is very good advice and, you know, a practical tip for everyone of all ages,” she said. 

She also recommended proper hydration with water and increased consumption of healthy food such as malunggay. — VBL, GMA Integrated News