I am an early morning guy. Born into it on the farm, where life, especially in summer started a the crack of dawn. We rose to get to work, with my father always preceding the rest of us, without an alarm clock, to make breakfast. Out to work by 7 am without fail. This time of day was more than getting to work though. It was a time of calm, of occasional meadow lark songs, of interesting sunrises and fresh air. A time for reflection and gathering energy. Food for the soul.
Today I drove my wife to her workout before sunrise, sipping a good coffee. When I returned home, the dog rose briefly before slipping back into slumber. I took this time to connect with a few people who know hearts and who were planning the itinerary of a distinguished guest in this domain in the coming weeks. It was a highly fitting teleconference because today is World Heart Day. For the most part it is a day to remind ourselves of the gigantic burden of heart and vascular ailments, either in terms of risks and disease. The global deaths exceed 18 million per year, but at least as important, cardio-cerebro-vascular conditions are right near the top in terms of disability rendered. Thus, the “living with disease” problem is common for the realm of heart disease. There is no peace in that! Many of the common risk factors are known, yet many are not. The manner in which genes and environments and behaviours operate from pre-natal throughout life to senescence to yield protection or high risk for heart and blood vessel disease still needs work. Such is especially true for at-risk populations like First Nations, South Asians and others. There is much work to do. Meanwhile, individuals and their families can do a lot – eat a more frugal and balanced diet, never use tobacco, always exercise even if it is just regular walking, keep you weight down, laugh a lot, stay close to important personal friends and supporters. The “social contract” that individual citizens, healthcare workers, healthcare systems, industry, governments, the press and charities have must be honoured, strengthened and actioned. Let’s make World Heart Day a day of celebration, one where we think more about love and the soul, and less about pain, suffering and fatalities.