PATTAYA, Thailand – At the August 7 meeting of the Pattaya City Expats Club, Dr. Parinya Chomsang, Cardiologist, and Ms. Kanokwan Namuang, Physical Therapist, from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya shared their expertise on maintaining a healthy heart. Dr Parinya’s comprehensive talk covered a range of topics crucial for cardiovascular health. Ms Kanokwan then demonstrated several exercises that aid the heart and can all be done while sitting in a chair.
Dr. Parinya noted that heart issues are a major cause of death worldwide, primarily due to problems with blood circulation that prevent oxygen from reaching vital organs. Also, knowing your risk factors, such as family history of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes, is crucial for early detection and prevention.
He recommended proper diet, regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and good mental health as key factors for maintaining a healthy heart with emphasis placed on the importance of understanding heart health fundamentals, including managing high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. He pointed out that one in three people have high blood pressure, and many do not achieve proper control even with medication.
Highlighting dietary habits, Dr. Parinya advised a balanced plate with half being non-starchy vegetables and fruit, a quarter being protein, and another quarter being whole grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes. He suggested that one should choose brown over white rice for its nutritional benefits. He recommended choosing snacks wisely, such as non-fat yogurt or nuts, and cautioned against processed foods high in trans fats, sugar, and sodium. He suggested moderate consumption of alcohol with specific guidelines for different types of alcoholic beverages. Dr. Parinya also stressed the need to cut down on sodium to prevent overloading the heart and kidneys.
He recommended regular health checks, including blood tests, electrocardiograms, and exercise tests to monitor heart health and prevent future complications. Dr. Parinya concluded his talk by highlighting the hospital’s heart preventive program.
Next up was Ms Kanokwan. She led a participative session on performing chair yoga, a gentle form of exercise that can be done while sitting. The session included various stretches and poses aimed at improving flexibility, reducing stress, and enhancing overall well-being. She noted that chair yoga is a gentle form of exercise suitable for older people, emphasizing its benefits such as reducing the impact on the body, improving flexibility, reducing stress, managing pain, and lowering blood pressure.
The session begins with an overhead stretch, followed by a neck stretch, instructing participants to stretch their arms and neck while breathing in and out slowly to improve flexibility and reduce tension. Further, participants also learned how to perform the Chair Warrior and Eagle Arm poses, which involve extending and bending the arms in specific ways to enhance strength and flexibility. The exercise session concluded with the Cat-Cow stretch to further improve spinal flexibility.
The presentations were followed by a Q&A session where Dr. Parinya responded to many questions about heart issues. Following the presentations, Ornuma (Jeez) Tamboon from Bangkok Hospital Pattaya (BHP), conducted a “lucky draw” with the prizes being vouchers for flu vaccine for those 65 and older and heart diagnostic procedures.
After the presentation, MC Ren Lexander brought everyone up to date on upcoming events. This was followed by the Open Forum portion of the meeting where the audience can ask questions or make comments about Expat living in Thailand, especially Pattaya. To learn more about the PCEC, visit their website at https:/pcec.club. To view the meeting program slides and YouTube video, visit https://pcec.club/Healthy-Heart. To view the after presentation interview visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqhzn_V_6pc&t=135s.
