Symposium focuses on heart health - KUAM.com-KUAM News: On Air. Online. On Demand.

On Sunday, the Guam Medical Society hosted the 8th Micronesian Medical Symposium at the Westin Resort Guam. This year's theme was "Elect A Healthy Heart," recognizing that heart disease is the leading cause of death in our island. Local and off-island experts in health promotion, diabetes and hypertension control, and interventional cardiology provided technical updates and professional perspectives on preventing heart disease, controlling its risk factors and diagnosing and managing common cardiovascular conditions that afflict our community.

Demera Hale is certified in adult and child and adolescent weight management, renal nutrition, and lactation education and spoke on "Practicing What We Preach: A Heart Healthy Diet Approach." He said, "You mentioned a ketogenic diet. Question about eating earlier and not eating during the night hours- eating 4 or 6 hours before going to bed is beneficial...eating more towards the beginning of your day and less towards the end."

Hale added, "In terms of weight control, that's very helpful to eat more towards the beginning part of the day when you're actually burning those calories. When you think you are going to go to bed and be sedentary, you don't need fuel for that."

Heart disease causes 1 out of every 3 deaths in Guam. It contributes a significant proportion of the chronic disease burden in our island. Yet heart disease can be prevented or controlled, through healthier lifestyles and eating habits, early detection and clinical intervention through evidence-informed medical care.

Hale said, "Parents, you are the kings and queens of the home, you are in the charge."

The daylong symposium was a success and would not have been possible without the assistance and support of various sponsors, partners, and volunteers under the leadership of the Guam Medical Society.