Experts urge people to take advantage of Ramzan to reduce weight, improve health

KARACHI: Weight reduction through exercise, having balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoiding carbohydrates and quitting smoking can help in management high blood pressure, diabetes and minimizes the chances of heart attack, expert cardiologists said on Saturday.

Ramzan provides an excellent opportunity not only to quit smoking but also in reducing weight, which would not only benefit in management of blood pressure and diabetes but would also minimize the chances of heaving heart attacks, they said but urged the people to focus on having less but healthy food at Sehar and Iftaar timings to remain healthy.

They were speaking at a free heart screening camp, organized by the Tabba Heart Institute at Karachi Press Club (KPC) where KPC members and their families were screening for hypertension, diabetes, Body Mass Index (BMI) while free medical consultation and advice on having safe and healthy food during the Ramzan were also provided.

Majority of the journalists who were screened at the camp were found overweight, with a vast majority of having their Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 25, and cardiologists and dietitians urged them to resort of daily exercise for 30 to 45 minutes, eat healthy and balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables and avoid junk food to minimize risk of heart disease.

As many as 152 journalists and their family members were screened at the heart health camp, who lauded the organizers and the team of Tabba Heart Institute for holding the camp.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Khubaib Ahmed and Dr. Salman Ishaque said most of the people screened for risk factors of the heart disease were found to be overweight with a vast majority of having their Body Mass Index (BMI) more than 25 and urged the people reduce their weight through exercise and balanced diet.

Urging the people to take advantage of the holy month of Ramzan for quitting smoking and weight loss, they said people could bring their BMI under control by taking eating healthy and balanced diet at Sehar and Iftar timings.

Dietitian Ms Sumaiya guided people on having balanced diet during upcoming holy month of Ramzan, saying avoiding fried and starchy food, sugary drinks and packaged food, people could reduce their weight and advised them to each fruits, vegetables, yogurt, lean meat and drink plenty of water to remain healthy and control their hypertension, blood sugar levels in the holy month.