Leading health practitioners, experts in South Asian health issues and an eager audience of 100 people gathered at RBC, 315 Front St W, to get an informed head start on their new years resolutions. Two highly respected organizations merged for one evening to present: EAT. LIVE. SUCCEED.

ICCC YP Executive Committee and Speakers

ICCC YP Event - Co Chair Arti Kakar (right) and guests

ICCC YP MCs - Arti Kakar and Ajay Bhatia

The Young Professionals of the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce, Toronto and SAPNA (The South Asian Professional Network for Health Awareness) generously supported by RBC; hosted an interactive presentation featuring 3 experts from the healthcare industry to explain why the South Asian demographic is at an elevated risk of contracting heart disease and other coronary conditions than that of their peers, they also dispelled some of the most common myths shrouding it revolving around gender and lifestyle, how to maintain a healthy diet and workplace ergonomics, which was followed by an interactive Q and A session with the panel.

ICCC YP Vishal, Natascha and Anjali

ICCC YP Event Crowd Shot

Homoeopathic doctor, author and nutritionist, Sunita Mohan, who gave a humorous yet pointed presentation was part of the line up along with ergonomics specialist Rabiya Lallani, who offered the audience small yet extremely beneficial tips on posture and position while at work, where most people spend upwards of 8-10 hours per day.

ICCC YP Crowd and Speakers Dr Colin Saldanha and Sunita Mohan

Shedding light on why South Asians are genetically more vulnerable to heart conditions – the phrase scientists have coined – where ‘the genes load the gun and the environment pulls the trigger’. South Asians are at a 4 times higher risk of contracting heart disease and in some cases, triple heart bypasses are undergone by South Asians as young as the age of 39.

ICCC YP Event Crowd Shot

Questions poured in at the end of the presentation, from eager audience members, who were not only concerned about themselves but for the health of their fathers, mothers and other family members and friends. “Along with funding dollars, the KEY is to raise awareness among a sleeping community” – a common view held among the medical profession.

Professionals who attended the event came away with a great deal of practical information on how to change their lifestyle and reverse some of the effects of the ‘South Asian diet’ – separating tradition from fact. The importance of this event was to impart information to people that has in the past been inaccessible to previous generations of South Asians.

“This has really opened my eyes, and how I need to start changing my lifestyle early, before the

damage is done.” – said one young attendee. “It is great to be here and raise awareness and to have people take this home to their parents and relatives, many factors play a key role in this, from complex genetics to simple healthy diets and exercise routines;” – said Dr Colin Saldanha, a speaker and expert on coronary heart disease among the South Asian demographic in the Peel region. Dr Saldanha used real life case studies from both past and current patients of his, to highlight and bring a real ‘edge’ to his presentation.

Dr Sonia Anand, an associate professor of medicine at McMaster University and an international expert on the links between ethnicity and heart disease’s team was on hand to provide advice and free health assessments to all participants.

Author: Natascha Trivedi,(Director of Communications for the Young Professionals at the Indo Canada Chamber of Commerce)