As Nigeria celebrated its 66th Independence Anniversary, Anchor HMO, Power Oil and music star, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P, have called on Nigerians to make preventive heart care a daily priority.

The call was made in Lagos during the 10th edition of the Power Oil Walk-Heart On event, where the organisers described Nigerians as the “heartbeat of the nation.”

Assistant General Manager, Anchor HMO, Dr Sandra Nnamani, said maintaining a healthy heart should go beyond participating in marathons or responding to symptoms after they emerge. According to her, the heart functions continuously and therefore requires consistent attention and care.
“Heart health is not something we should remember only when we are running a marathon. It is something we should practise every single day,” she said.

Nnamani said Nigerians could make cardiovascular health part of their everyday lives by exercising regularly, eating properly and monitoring important health indicators.

She explained that good heart health requires keeping blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar under control, maintaining a healthy weight and engaging in regular physical activity.

She listed high blood pressure, unhealthy cholesterol levels, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity and excessive alcohol consumption among the major risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

She encouraged Nigerians to introduce regular exercise into their routines through activities such as brisk walking, dancing, cycling, swimming, jogging and using the stairs, while also reducing the amount of time spent sitting for prolonged periods.

“You don’t need to become an athlete to have a healthy heart. You simply need to stop being completely inactive,” she said.

Nnamani recommended that adults undertake between 150 and 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week, or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity. She also advised adults to engage in muscle-strengthening exercises on at least twice weekly.

On nutrition, she urged Nigerians to be conscious of both the quality and quantity of food they consume. She advised people to increase their intake of vegetables, fruits, beans, whole grains, nuts and seeds, while reducing excessive consumption of salt, added sugars and unhealthy fats.

“Fat is not the enemy. Our bodies need dietary fat. What matters is the type of fat, the amount we consume and the overall quality of our diet,” she said.

She also stressed the importance of regular health checks, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, weight and waist circumference.

She noted that hypertension and other cardiovascular risk factors could develop without producing noticeable symptoms.

“You don’t have to be feeling sick to have high blood pressure. Headache is not a reliable way to know that your blood pressure is high. The only way to know your blood pressure is to measure it,” she said.

She advised Nigerians who had been diagnosed with hypertension to take their prescribed medication consistently, warning them against stopping treatment merely because their blood pressure readings had improved. She also cautioned against overlooking symptoms that could signal a heart attack including chest pressure or pain; discomfort that spreads to the arm, shoulder, back, neck or jaw; shortness of breath; cold sweat; nausea; sudden dizziness and weakness.

She further advised people exercising to stop immediately and seek urgent medical attention if they experienced chest pain, severe breathlessness, fainting, severe dizziness or unusual palpitations.

Speaking about the 10km walk, Marketing Manager, Oil and Fats Portfolio, Tolaram Group, Roland Akpe, said the initiative was designed to encourage Nigerians to pay greater attention to their heart health through regular physical activity and healthier lifestyle choices.

Akpe said the initiative formed part of activities aimed at raising awareness about heart health and was linked to the World Heart Day campaign.

Also speaking at the event, Peter Okoye, popularly known as Mr P of P-Square, expressed pride in Power Oil as a Nigerian product. He encouraged Nigerians to incorporate daily walks and other forms of physical activity into their routines as part of efforts to maintain a healthy heart.

The event also provided health screening for thousands of Nigerians in Lagos. The screening included blood pressure and blood sugar checks, aimed at promoting early detection of cardiovascular risk factors.