Good Heart Health for a Brighter Yuletide Holiday

Taking care of one's physical health and wellness is important. Being mindful of our well-being improves our health and empowers us to be productive in all phases of our lives. Our happiness begin with optimal wellbeing. I learned this lesson the hard way.

Two years ago, I accepted a job offer that required me to work on shifts. Though I was opposed to working late nights, the remuneration package plus the opportunity to earn more during the holiday season was irresistible. Little did I know that I was exposing myself to potential health problems. I was headed towards insomnia and self-destruction.

As a novice on grave shift, I had trouble sleeping. The switch from being an early bird to a night owl resulted to changes in my mind and body. I felt exhausted physically and mentally after a few weeks on 3rd shift. I didn't get as much sleep as my body needed during the day. I had trouble sleeping from shift work. And just when my body was learning to adjust to the new clock rhythm, the company placed me on weekly rotating night shifts with split dayoffs. The erratic work schedules made me even more frantic with worry.

I had little interaction with my family at home. While I was physically present, I was skipping meals and was making up for the cumulative sleep debt most of the time.

My diet was a mess. Stressed and sleep deprived, I was binge-eating in the office. I turned to high-fat, comfort food for stress relief. I tend to overeat to reward myself at the end of a stressful workshift. And since the month of December had set in, I would turn up on two to three parties in a week and indulge. I was consuming food in response to stress even though I wasn't hungry.

My consumption of excessive meat, irregular food habits, lack of sleep and aging factor finally took a toll on my body over time. I was unaware of my elevated blood pressure levels since I feel absolutely fine. There were no symptoms until the day that I had blood shots in my eyes. 

I consulted a doctor, who told me that I had hypertension after running several lab tests. My cardiovascular health was as its all-time low. I had no idea that my heart was a ticking time bomb! I was advised by the doctor to take maintenance drugs and do heart-healthy lifestyle changes that matter. 

Since then, I have taken steps to reduce my health risks and took extra care to manage my blood pressure.

Elevated high blood pressure is the leading cause of heart disease, but half of the people who have it are unaware because it has no outward symptoms. Undetected and untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious health problems. Having hypertension appears to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, and having type 2 diabetes increases the risk of hypertension. The presence of one or both conditions increases the risk of heart attacks and strokes.

It is a good thing that Sanofi had taken the initiative to educate Filipinos on the perils of hypertension to help create a healthier Philippines. Its Panata sa Puso ng Pamilyang Pilipino aims to promote good heart health for the Filipino family against hypertension and heart attack. 

Sanofi advocates healthful lifestyle choices to protect the heart this Christmas Season

Sanofi acknowledges that Christmas is a very special time for us Filipinos. It is that time of the year when we start to relax and tend to over indulge.

Sanofi reminds us to safeguard our gift of health and eat our way to normal blood pressure even at Christmastime. Sanofi encourages everyone to opt for a healthy lifestyle this holiday season and help reduce the risk of hypertension.

We can brighten the holidays by prioritizing our own health and safety.

Do visit https://www.sanofi.ph/ to know more about their initiatives on promoting cardiovascular health.