A healthy heart means a better and longer life!
To commemorate the World Heart Day and to congratulate seniors on the International Day of Older Persons, Kėdainiai PSPC healthcare professionals met with participants of the Kėdainiai SJMC Third Age University and members of other non-governmental organisations uniting seniors.
Danutė Šilkaitienė, a health education organiser/general nurse, invited people aged 60+ in the district to assess the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus: total cholesterol and capillary glucose levels, body mass index, arterial blood pressure, waist and hip circumference and their ratios.
Lifestyle medicine specialist Simona Ulerytė presented the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle and recommendations for a rational diet. A number of seniors have registered for individual consultations with a lifestyle medicine specialist, where they can learn how to control their physical and psychological well-being, identify the factors in their daily lives that can help them stop damage to their health and prevent the development or progression of chronic diseases.
Jūratė Vaitonienė, Programme Coordinator, presented the prevention programmes implemented by the Kėdainiai PSPC and the wide range of opportunities to assess risk factors and adjust them in the right direction. The meeting included distribution of informative educational materials on health promotion, physical activity, identification and control of disease risk factors and other relevant topics.
Patients with higher than recommended levels of total cholesterol or glucose in their capillary blood (more than half of the subjects) were referred for a more detailed venous test. After assessing not only the blood test results but also other risk factors for cardiovascular disease (arterial blood pressure, body mass index, risk of abdominal obesity), patients were referred to Simona Ulerytė, a lifestyle medicine specialist, if indicated.
When should I see a lifestyle medicine specialist?
- When you want to prevent or treat chronic non-infectious diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure or high cholesterol.
- When you want to change your lifestyle and improve your overall well-being and quality of life.
All services are provided within the framework of the programmes "Prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases in target groups through early diagnosis" and "Promotion of healthy eating and prevention of obesity", funded by the Kėdainiai District Municipality. The projects aim to strengthen the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes among the target group in the Kėdainiai district, as well as to promote lifestyle changes, with a particular focus on healthy eating and lifestyle, in order to prevent the onset and development of chronic non-infectious diseases that are caused by overweight and obesity. The measures are open to any resident of the Kėdainiai district who is part of the target group of the projects, regardless of the health care institution where they are registered.
Each of us can take small steps that eventually turn into big changes. Let's take time for ourselves and our health, not just on Heart Day - after all, a healthy heart means a better and longer life!
