InLife’s Heart Smart webinar highlights cardiovascular, emotional and financial health

What does it take to have a smart heart? Cardiovascular health, emotional well-being and financial stability are important elements to maintain a smart heart. This was discussed in a recent webinar conducted by Insular Life (InLife) entitled “Kamusta ang Puso Mo?”    

Experts on health, love and relationship, and financial planning underlined the importance of taking care of the heart and at the same time, preparing for unexpected events. Dr. Ryan Niño Padua, who specializes in Cardiology and Internal Medicine; Coach Aileen Santos, a registered guidance counselor; and InLife financial advisor Masumay Booc discussed practical tips to develop (or maintain?) a smart heart. 

Heart Care

“Ang buwan ng puso ay hindi lang tungkol sa pag-ibig, kundi sa kalusugan na rin (The heart month is not just above love, but also about our heart’s health),” Dr. Padua said.

To prevent heart disease or manage cardiovascular risk factors such as hypertension and diabetes, Dr. Padua explained the need for a healthy lifestyle which includes proper diet and exercise, weight management, not smoking, and avoiding stress.

Dr. Padua also pointed out the need to prepare for the unexpected, such as emergency health expenses. “Nakakatakot isipin, pero pwede mo itong paghandaan sa maraming paraan (It’s scary to think about it, but you can prepare for it in many ways),” he said. He recommended having an emergency fund equal to one’s salary for six months.

Self Care

Santos, meanwhile, emphasized the value of self-care especially during this pandemic. She said that by taking care of yourself, you’ll be more prepared to take care of your loved ones.

Santos shared some ways to take care of one’s self such as self-soothing, embracing one’s own pace, avoiding comparison with others, and practicing gratitude.

She added tips to avoid comparing one’s self others: stop criticizing yourself and avoiding comparison triggers such as social media; focusing on your own journey and keeping track of achievements; knowing your strengths; being happy for others’ success; and counting your blessings. 

Financial Care

Booc, for her part, advised talking to a financial advisor to understand the various insurance and health coverage options. 

She said setting up an emergency fund is one way to prepare for medical emergencies. She added that InLife’s critical illness plan Prime Care, for example, includes lump sum payout upon diagnosis of the covered critical illnesses, as well as a cash allowance to cover medical expenses.

“A healthy lifestyle can’t guarantee good health. So it’s important to always have a health fund in place. It is always better to have an insurance plan now and not need it today, than need it tomorrow when you can no longer have it,” Booc said.

“We don’t get insurance because we are going to get sick or we are going to die, but we want to make sure that the people we love are going to live,” she added.

The three experts agree: It’s important to be heart smart, and to do this, we need to take care of our health, emotions and finances. 

To learn more about financial care, talk to our InLife financial advisors or follow InLife on Facebook @InsularLifePH.