The heart is the No.
1 cause of death in India, but the lungs are catching up in a big way.
That's according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, which notes that lung diseases, including asthma and COPD, are on the rise as the country's population ages, making it "one of India's most pressing health challenges, especially among the elderly."
In fact, the study's lead author, Dr. Sharan Patil, tells the Times of India, "The health issue with aging is increasingly that of the lung, maybe even more than the heart."
Pollution, poor diet and exercise, and a lack of access to quality respiratory care all contribute to respiratory distress, which can lead to heart disease-like symptoms, the study notes.
"It's time to breathe new life into our healthcare strategies and give our lungs the attention they deserve in an increasingly polluted world," says Patil.
One way to do that, per the study, is to make sure yoga and meditation are part of people's daily routines.
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Vandana Shiva, a scientist and environmentalist known for her activism against GMOs, globalization, and patents on seeds and traditional foods, co-founded Navdanya.