Health Leaders Flag Pollution, Stress and Changing Lifestyles While Calling for Stronger Focus on Prevention at ‘Illness to Wellness’ Conference
Mumbai, 22 September 2026: Ahead of World Heart Day 2026, the Illness to Wellness Foundation organised a conference in New Delhi under the theme “Healthy Heart for a Healthy Life”, bringing together leading cardiologists, healthcare experts and public health voices to highlight the growing importance of prevention, early detection and healthier everyday choices amid concerns around stress, pollution and changing lifestyles. The conference focused on building a stronger culture of prevention through awareness, healthy living, regular health checks, emergency preparedness and greater community participation.
(Padma Bhushan) Dr T.S. Kler, Chairman & HOD, BLK-Max Heart & Vascular Institute & Chairman, Pan Max – Electrophysiology, said, “It is important to support the call for the Government of India to establish structured preventive cardiovascular programmes and strengthen health education and prevention so that awareness translates into sustained action and reaches people at the community level. This preventive approach must also take into account the broader environmental and lifestyle factors influencing heart health, from air pollution, noise pollution and stubble burning to rising stress, changing work patterns and evolving lifestyle habits.”
(Padma Bhushan) Dr. (Prof.) K. K. Talwar, Chairman, PSRI Heart Institute, New Delhi, stressed the importance of community preparedness during cardiac emergencies, saying, “Every minute is important. It is only the person who is by the side that matters.” He called for wider community CPR training to enable people to provide immediate assistance while medical help is arriving.
Dr. Talwar also underlined the importance of preventive awareness and CPR skills, saying, “Apart from the awareness, the preventive steps, all of us probably should also have the knowledge how to do a good quality CPR by the side.”
(Padma Shri) Dr. Ganesh Kumar Mani, Chairman, Cardiac Sciences, Cardiac Surgery (CTVS), Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket, Delhi, highlighted the importance of preventive cardiology and healthier everyday habits, particularly the role of stress and sedentary lifestyles. “Preventive cardiology has taken a big centre stage, and we need to move beyond looking at heart disease only when a problem arises. The emphasis should be on prevention, early action and making healthier choices part of everyday life. Small, consistent changes can play an important role in protecting heart health over the long term,” he said.
In his address, Mr. Anil Rajput, Chairperson, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, said “A healthy life is shaped by the choices we make every day — what we eat, how active we remain, how we manage stress and whether we give ourselves enough time to rest and recharge. Building a culture of prevention is not just about responding to illness; it is about making healthier choices a part of everyday life. When individuals, families, communities and institutions come together to prioritise wellbeing, we can create a healthier and more aware society.”
In his concluding remarks, Dr. Gautam Singal, Member, FICCI Health Services Committee & Senior Consultant and Professor of Cardiology, Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, Faridabad, said, “The challenge today is not the lack of knowledge, it is putting that knowledge into action. Prevention is a collection of small decisions taken every day. We need to make prevention a habit, not just an afterthought or a reaction.”
The conference featured two sessions addressing complementary aspects of preventive heart care. The first session, “Know Your Numbers for Heart Care: BP, Blood Sugar & Lipid Profile,” moderated by Dr. Vinayak Agarwal, Head, Clinical Cardiology, Fortis Hospital; Dr. Krishan Yadav, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, Yatharth Super Speciality Hospital, brought together Dr. (Prof.) Sandeep Bansal, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College & Safdarjung Hospital, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India; Dr. Rahul Chandola, Senior Cardiothoracic and Heart Lung Transplant Surgeon, PSRI Hospital; and Dr. Vanita Arora, Clinical Lead, Cardiac Electrophysiology, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals. The discussion focused on understanding cholesterol, triglycerides and other indicators of cardiovascular risk, regularly monitoring blood pressure, blood sugar and lipid levels, early identification of abnormal readings, timely intervention, lifestyle changes and building a culture of regular health checks and accessible screening across communities, workplaces and institutions.
The second session, “Heart Care through Holistic Wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Ayurveda & Meditation,” moderated by Dr. Rajesh Kesari, Member, Advisory Council, Illness to Wellness Foundation, featured Dr. Jyoti Keswani, Director, Central Council for Research in Yoga & Naturopathy (CCRYN) and Additional Charge, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India; Dr. Mohit Dayal Gupta, Director–Professor of Cardiology, GB Pant Hospital; Ms. Seema Singh, Founder Director, Seema Singh’s Diet & Nutrition Clinic; Dr. Tanu Singh, Founder, Lifeyoga; Mr. Ajay Prakash Shrivastava, Chancellor, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi Ramayan Vishwavidyalaya, Ayodhya; and Ms. Ritika Samaddar, Regional Head, Department of Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics, Max Healthcare. The session explored the role of balanced nutrition, regular physical activity, healthy weight management, Ayurveda, meditation and mindfulness, adequate sleep, emotional wellbeing and healthy daily habits in supporting heart health, while highlighting holistic heart-care practices suited to an individual’s age, health status and lifestyle.