Health
Nigeria At 66: Nigerians Urged To Prioritise Preventive Heart Health
By Rukayat Moisemhe
Anchor HMO, Power Oil and popular Nigerian musician, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, have urged Nigerians to prioritise preventive heart care, describing citizens as the “heartbeat of the nation” as Nigeria celebrates its 66th Independence Anniversary.
They gave the advice on Thursday in Lagos at the 10th edition of the Power Oil Walk-Heart On event.
Dr Sandra Nnamani, Assistant General Manager, Anchor HMO, said heart health should not be remembered only during marathons or when symptoms emerged.
She noted that the heart worked continuously and required consistent care.
“Your heart works 24 hours a day, seven days a week, without taking a single day off. The question is: are we taking care of the organ that never takes a break?
“Heart health is not something we should remember only when we are running a marathon. It is something we should practise every single day,” she said.
Nnamani said Nigerians could make heart health a daily priority by exercising regularly, eating wisely and monitoring key health indicators.
She stated that maintaining a healthy heart involved keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control, maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active.
The medical expert identified high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity and excessive alcohol consumption as major cardiovascular risk factors.
She encouraged Nigerians to incorporate regular physical activity into their daily routines through brisk walking, dancing, cycling, swimming, jogging, taking the stairs and reducing prolonged sitting.
“You don’t need to become an athlete to have a healthy heart. You simply need to stop being completely inactive,” she said.
Nnamani advised adults to aim for 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity, alongside muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
She also urged Nigerians to pay attention to the quality and quantity of food they consume, stressing the need to eat more vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, while limiting excessive salt, added sugars and unhealthy fats.
“Fat is not the enemy. Our bodies need dietary fat. What matters is the type of fat, the amount we consume and the overall quality of our diet,” she said.
She also urged Nigerians to regularly check their blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and waist circumference.
According to her, hypertension and some other cardiovascular risk factors could exist without obvious symptoms.
“You don’t have to be feeling sick to have high blood pressure.
“Headache is not a reliable way to know that your blood pressure is high. The only way to know your blood pressure is to measure it,” she said.
She advised people diagnosed with hypertension to take prescribed medication consistently and not discontinue treatment simply because their blood pressure had improved.
She further cautioned Nigerians against ignoring symptoms that could indicate a heart attack, including chest pressure or pain, discomfort spreading to the arm, shoulder, back, neck or jaw, shortness of breath, cold sweat, nausea, sudden dizziness or weakness.
Nnamani added that people experiencing chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, severe dizziness or unusual palpitations while exercising to stop and seek urgent medical attention.
“Do not try to walk it off. Do not wait for the pain to disappear. A suspected heart attack is an emergency,” she said.
Speaking on the 10km walk, Mr Roland Akpe, Marketing Manager, Oil and Fats Portfolio, Tolaram Group, makers of Power Oil, said the initiative was aimed at encouraging Nigerians to prioritise heart health through regular physical activity and healthier lifestyle choices.
Akpe highlighted the cholesterol-free quality of the oil, noting that the initiative was part of activities to promote heart-health awareness and was tied to the World Heart Day campaign.
Also speaking, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P of P-Square, described Power Oil as a Nigerian product he was proud of.
He also urged Nigerians to embrace daily walks and other forms of physical activity as part of efforts to maintain a healthy heart.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event also featured health screening for thousands of Nigerians in Lagos, including blood pressure and blood sugar checks, as part of efforts to encourage early detection of cardiovascular risk factors.(NAN)
Edited by Vivian Ihechu
