Special: Empower your heart with good habits to fight Covid

Steam inhalation can be of great help in this scenario in reducing virus load and preventing or reducing intensity of the disease

As the world's understanding of Covid has improved, so has the management of it. What first emerged as a pneumonia-like illness in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, has engulfed nations across the globe. The only way to control it is to develop herd immunity either by infection of the majority population or by vaccination. The human and economic impact of acquiring herd immunity through infection will be catastrophic for any country and the only way to achieve that is by vaccination. However, there is no shortcut to developing vaccines; the International Vaccine Institute has often shared that 'vaccine development' is characterised by a high failure rate - often 93 per cent between animal studies and registration of a product. Though it takes roughly 10 years to come up with a vaccine; we are all hoping that the Covid-19 vaccine will not take long and hopefully be available by mid 2021.
Given this, 'prevention' is to be the key. Covid affects the lungs - which supplies oxygen to the body through the heart by oxygenating the blood. Due to this, the amount of oxygen provided to the body by the lungs decreases substantially and the heart has to work harder to provide the same amount of oxygen. It is like a continuous stress test for the heart which can precipitate heart attack or heart failure from the damaging effects of chemicals released by the body to fight the Covid virus. We have to aim at 'prevention' and this calls for boosting body's immunity through the age-old advice of 45 minutes daily exercise, balanced diet, eight hours of sleep, and positive mindset along with wearing a mask, keeping physical distance, and frequent handwash.
The most significant advice I can share is this - recent studies have indicated that being even slightly overweight is a major risk factor across age groups; obesity isn't just a cosmetic concern. It is a medical problem that increases your risk of other diseases and health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and certain cancers. So measure your weight daily - and try and be as close to your ideal weight as possible; maintaining a BMI (Body Mass Index ) between 18.5-24.9. 
Steam inhalation and daily consumption of vitamin C, Vitamin D, and Zinc supplement are a must. The March 2020 issue of the spoke of the high transmission of SARS-CoV-2 probably arising from other factors , including high viral loads in the upper respiratory tract and the potential for the infected person to shed and transmit virus while asymptomatic. The authors discussed the reported high titre of virus in oropharynx early in the course of disease and possibility of increased infectivity during the period of minimal symptoms." Steam inhalation can be of great help in this scenario in reducing virus load and preventing or reducing intensity of the disease.
Thanks to the lockdown, staying locked up at home for a long time and the uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic can be a reason for people to get stressed and start having negative thoughts, which is not good for the body and the heart. It is very important to stay calm and be positive. Yoga in the mornings can be a great balancing factor for all. Maintain your social network even remotely and communicate with your friends and family on a regular basis.
It is also important to continue taking all your medications as advised, making sure that you do not run out of stock. Avoid going to the doctor's clinic for a routine follow-up or if there is no urgent matter. You can always consult your doctor on the phone. Whatever the illness, any procedure on a Covid patient is a high risk procedure - in the case of heart surgery for eg; the intervention will save the heart but endanger the patient's life. So avoid routine procedures unless absolutely necessary.
Limit the information you consume about the outbreak and the time you spend on it, and only trust reliable sources. Avoid using coping strategies involving alcohol or drugs. 
Work from home professionals should take short active breaks to get up and walk around to stay focussed.
There is a tendency to overeat when you're at home. Don't stock junk food around and prepare small healthy meals. When you eat, focus on eating- don't be distracted by electronics.
The theme of world heart day 2020, use heart to beat CVD (cardiovascular disease), is an excellent summary of the above suggestions. You have to empower your heart with good habits to fight CVD and Covid.
Dr Ramakanta Panda, a cardiovascular thoracic surgeon, is the vice chairman and managing director of Asian Heart Institute, India.