Mysuru: Avadhoota Datta Peetham Seer Sri Ganapathy Sachchidananda Swamiji said that heart specialists who cure heart diseases are like second Brahma.

He was speaking after releasing a booklet at the World Heart Day celebrations organised by the Cardiological Society of India (CSI), Mysuru Branch, at J.K. Grounds Platinum Jubilee Auditorium, here on Sunday. The Swamiji said that people with heart problems come to the specialists with lot of hope and it is the duty of the doctors to save the lives of such people.

Thinking that we are healthy, one should not keep quite. Everyone should undergo health check-up at least twice a year. The reason is because those with diabetes will not know when there is a heart problem. Hence, it is very important that instead of a person undergoing check-ups after becoming a diabetic, he should take precautions to have check-up before the problems arise. Also, one should do yoga and exercise every day, the Swamiji said.

In public functions and meetings though I speak about spirituality, I never forget to stress on importance of maintaining one’s health. I also give as an example of my own daily lifestyle. At least seven to eight lakhs people are following it and are leading a healthy life, he said.

Instead of focusing on health, people are wasting their time smoking, drinking, and spoiling their health and even dying. They are busy 24 hours in work and social causes. If they continue to do this, then they will face the risk of dying early. Hence, one should treat health and social service equally and live a little longer healthily, he said.

Dr. K.S. Sadananda of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Mysuru, made a power point presentation on health of heart. Unlike other diseases, the diseases related to heart leads to more deaths. Due to blood pressure, diabetes and obesity, the heart problems have increased at an early age and in a few years the country is going to be the heart disease and diabetic capital of the world, he warned.

In order to prevent heart problems, children should be taught to lead a healthy lifestyle. One should give up smoking and every day exercise at least for 30 minutes. One should also know what diet should one follow. Yoga and meditation is very good in preventing heart problems. One should eat more fruits and vegetables. Since one’s health is in one’s own hands try to prevent heart diseases, he said.

Earlier, Police Commissioner Dr. A.S. Rao launched the Heart Health Awareness Rally from Kote Anjaneyaswamy Temple near the Mysore Palace premises. The rally passed through Doddagadiyara, Devaraj Urs Road, Railway Station and reached J.K. Grounds.

The rallyists carried placards with messages of stop smoking, stop drinking, do not eat junk food, lead a stress-free life and be free from heart problems, thus creating awareness among the public. Journalist Rajashekar Koti, CSI-Mysuru branch’s Dr. Rajagopal, Secretary Dr. B. Dinesh and others were present on the occasion.