HEALTH NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5328, 19 September 1928, Page 4

HEALTH NOTES.

THE HEART. PREVENTION OF DISEASE. (Contributed' by the Department of Health.) Weighing about five-eighths of a pound, and bulking about the size of the clenched list, the heart is the central pump of the body, controlling the flaw of its.-, life stream, states a pamphlet issued by a, prominent insurance company in Canada and. the United States. Beating at the normal rate of over seventy times a .minute, the heart will pump five quarts of blood. Often it is beating faster, and pumping twenty quarts a. minute. Therefore it is worth special thought and care ta see that such a hard-working engine is treated fairly. In New Zealand in 1927 there were 2150 deaths from all forms of 'heart disease, and it ranks ajSi the highest df the principal causes of death. While a large proportion are probably instances of a failing pumping organ in a generally diseased and worn-out body, it !«■ cviden.t that many of thqisc deaths are preventable. FIRST SIGNS. Many of the signs which a persqn may think mean heart disease caii he caused by some other disorder, indigestion, lung trouble, and nervousness may cause a pain near the heart, shortness of breath, fainting, an.d irregularity of beat. . If a person suffersj from any of these he should go at once to a doctor f. r an examination instead c.f worrying secretly about it. The doctor may tell him that he has no heart trouble, and wifi also find out what, is wrong. If there is .something wrong, with the heart 't is well to know it at an early stage, when proper care may bring the heart back toi health. a In many cases, heart trouble is curable. Often serious trouble can bq put oil’ for years if beginning symptoms are detected early and,- proper care taken, some perfectly normal hearts have a murmur which may entirely disappear. Even bad hearts will often do a sufficient amount cf good work if treated with knowledge and care. It. has been said that the surest recipe for living, to old age is to find out that you have a disease and then, take care of it. The wise habits of living that the early I recognition of heart trouble brings are good for the entire boidy. MAIN CAUSES OF HEART DISEASE. The main) causes of organic heart diseases, are rheumatism, certain contagions disease of childhood, syphilis, and improper habit of living. Rheumatism, and direct injury to the heart itself, often result from diseased tonsils or adenoids, infected teeth, or through some poison which may have gained access; to the body huring an attack of diphtheria, scarlet fever, or perhaps, even a serious Cold. Chil- . drew should be examined carefully by a physician every year. to> see that diseased conditions which, may cause rheumatism are discovered early and properly taken care of. Syphilis in early life may attack the heart muscle, causing weakness c ; r death in later years, even after the disease itself is no longer apparent. By using tlie proper drugs under the'advice of' a physiciah for overcoming 'this dread disease, as soon as it appear-:; the danger to the heart /will be lessened. Improper habits of hiving leave their mark on the heart. / Many grown people owe their ill-hea ,Ith to their own ignorance or indifference. Eating too much, exercising too. little, leading; an, indoor life, sleeping irregularly, the over-use of alcnhoT, tobacco, tea, or coflee are all con'mion faults which may injure the; herart. ' PRECAUTIONS TO TAKE. It is estimated: that the heart actually rests fifteen hours of the twenty-four in the tiny movements between, th'* beats. Any strain, such as Cjvcr-exortionj'ior excessive emation cause the heart to beat faster, losingpart of ite time for resting- . When we arc asleep cur hearts beat on. an, average ten fewer times each jnJnute than when 'ye are awake. That is quo of tlie reasons why plenty of sleep keeps us in good condition. Exercise must •be neither neglected nor .overdone to keen qur pumping station in good running order. Xf a person has heart trouble he should fallow the tlc/c tor’s advice in every way and then forget about his heart as fay a,s possible. He should wa.tch his daily living habits, not V.atcli his heart,- and .should lea.ru to develop a cabm, /even attitude towards life, and avoid excitement, or situations, where; he becomes angry or aro.uscd. His exercise should b& approved by a physician. Anything that makes him. short of brea-th may be toq strenuous. Stay out-of-doos as many hours of tlie twenty-four as possible, and get 'ten hours’ sleep each night. If a person- is over-weight he should try a simple reducing diet; or if under-weight follow the doctor’s advice about no.Mtri shing foods and mode of living. Alcohol, • tobacco, coffee, or other sftimnlants, jf used,

should be so in strict moderation. PERSONAL ADVICE. NO 'one else cam do, as much for your heart as you can. Keep it healthy by going, to your doctor for a health examinatiejn, by looking after infected tonsils c ; r teeth, by eating tllie right amounts of right foods, by keeping your body-weight nqnr the health average, by not over-using tobacco or stimulants. When you get over any serious illmess it is usually a good plan to return t-cj active life as carefully and slowly as possible, so that your heart will have penty of time to rest from strain. If you have children, protect frcjni tlie children’s diseases which often (jo lasting harm to yopng hearts. More children are suffering from heart trouble than their parents realise. “Growing pains” are early signs of rheumatism which may later affect the. heart. Don’t wait until the child si Hl- A thorough health examination yearly in. school, or by your own doctor, is the best protecticjii.