Every second, every minute, every day, your heart works silently to keep you alive. It beats through your happiest moments, carries you through your toughest days and rarely asks for anything in return. But what if, just for a moment, your heart could speak? What would it say to you?
This World Heart Day, Prof. (Dr.) S. Vijay Mohan, a senior consultant physician and Professor Emeritus, offers a creative way to look at heart health: imagine your heart writing you a letter, asking you to care for the one organ that never stops caring for you.
And perhaps, if your heart could put its feelings into words, this is what it would say.
Dear You,
Hello! It’s me, your heart.
We have been together since the very beginning. I have been beating through every celebration, every heartbreak, every late night and every new morning. While you chase your dreams, care for your loved ones and worry about a thousand little things, I keep doing my job, day after day.
But lately, I have been wondering: when was the last time you did something just for me?
I am not asking for much. Just take a 30-minute walk each day. Give me the exercise I need to stay strong. Fill your plate with fruits, vegetables and balanced meals instead of making too much room for salt, sugar and unhealthy fats.
And please, do not wait for me to struggle before you pay attention. Check your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol regularly. Visit your doctor, even when you feel perfectly fine. Some problems develop quietly, and I need you to stay one step ahead.
If you smoke, let it go. If you drink, remember that less is better for your health. Maintain a healthy weight, get enough sleep and find ways to ease the stress you carry around every day.
But here is my most important request: do not get so caught up in living your life that you forget to take care of it.
Make time for your family. Laugh with your friends. Enjoy a peaceful morning. Take that holiday you keep postponing. You deserve a life that is not just long, but full of moments worth remembering.
I will keep beating for you, just as I always have. But how well I serve you also depends on the choices we make together.
So, let us make a promise this World Heart Day. You take care of me, and I will keep doing my best for you.
One beat at a time.
With love,
Your Heart
This World Heart Day, remember: your heart has been beating for you all your life. It’s time to start beating for it, too.
