'Kids are key to winning war with heart disease'

Children should teach their parents about healthy living to stop them “dying prematurely like flies”.

This is the view of Dr. Stanley James, who believes the island’s youngsters hold the key to longer life.

He is calling for healthy eating lessons and longer PE lessons in schools so children can “set an example”.

Dr. James believes action is urgently needed to stop so many people dying of heart disease.

It is the number one killer in Bermuda.

He sees “the damage” first hand as a cardiology pre-fellow at King Edward Memorial VII Hospital.

But he believes he can help find a solution through his work as chairman of the National Youth Council. Dr. James is trying to combine his two roles to help people live longer.

He said: “People are dying prematurely like flies from something that is preventable. One day they are here, the next day they are dead.

“People just don’t under- stand the dangers of heart disease — they don’t know what they are doing to themselves.

“They are shocked to find themselves in hospital and they say they don’t know how to change.”

Dr. James said our “western lifestyle” had led us to unhealthy habits.

This includes relying on fast food and technology.

Changes

He has already been involved in the children’s Camp Cardio project and is now in talks with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Health to introduce further changes.

Dr. James said: “I see an opportunity to make schools more healthy, which in turn will make homes more healthy.

“Health should be a priority for all children in the school system. We need to teach them how to cook and PE lessons need to be longer. Children are never too young to learn about leading healthy lifestyles — the younger the better.

“Children should pass on what they know to parents.”

Heart disease has become so widespread in Bermuda that Dr. Carl Levick, a cardiology specialist from Lahey Clinic, took up a full- time position at King Edward VII Memorial Hospital a few months ago.

Dr. James has three pieces of advice for people to help prevent heart disease.

He encourages quitting smoking “as soon as you can”, exercising — which can be “a daily 40 minute walk rather than entering the Olympics” — and improving your diet by “getting rid of fatty and processed foods”.

Dr. James said: “When we’re dead we don’t get a second chance to go back and fix it. We only get one chance at this life. It’s your life, you have to save it.”