February is Heart Health Month

I hope you had a week filled with inspiration and that you found time to create your own Life List in order to make each day a masterpiece. If that’s the case, take a minute to pat yourself on the back.  YOU just made yourself a priority in your life’s journey!

In addition, I hope you had a Valentine’s Day of your choosing. We don’t all have a special someone, however, we ALL have family and special friends. Spending a lot of money isn’t the point, however, a phone call, a note, or even a store bought card have a special meaning!

Not only is February Valentine’s Day, it is also Heart Health month. This week think about the following information personally, if you’re a woman, and if you’re a man you have females in your life so don’t discount this information.

Mayo Clinic states, “All women face the threat of heart disease.”  Did you know that more women than men die of heart disease each year?  “Heart disease is the number one killer of all women,” says former U.S. Surgeon General Richard Carmona, M.D. It can and it does affect young people, so it’s not just a problem for those of us who are older.  The good news is if we are aware, informed, and we take action, we can minimize our risks.

First and foremost, understand that the symptoms of a heart attack are different for women than men. We hear about men grabbing their chests and complaining of severe pain in the chest and arm area.  “The most common heart attack symptom in women is some type of pain, pressure, or discomfort in the chest.  It’s not always severe or even the most prominent symptom, however,” according the research with Mayo Clinic.  “Women are more likely to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain.  

Symptoms such as:

*neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort

*shortness of breath

*right arm pain

*nausea or vomiting

*sweating

*lightheadedness or dizziness

*unusual fatigue

These symptoms can be more subtle than the idea of crushing chest pain.  Women described the pain as more pressure or tightness.  “This may be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries but also in the smaller arteries that supply blood to the heart.”  I also found it interesting that the symptoms for women may occur more often while we’re resting, or even while we’re sleeping.  Mental stress can also be a trigger for heart attack symptoms.

“Women tend to show up in emergency rooms after heart damage has already occurred because their symptoms are not those typically associated with a heart attack, and because women may downplay their symptoms.  If you experience these symptoms or think you’re having a heart attack, call for emergency medical help immediately.”

Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously.  According to Lori Mosca, MD in an article for the AHA Journal, “Cardiovascular disease – the number ONE cause of death in the U.S. – claims the lives of almost 500,000 women each year.  Being aware of the risk of heart disease is important because it’s the first step in taking action to lower the risk.”  Being aware of personal risk and treatment options can empower women to live a long and healthy life.  “Awareness, knowledge, and action are by far the most important factors in saying goodbye to the No. 1 killer of women.”

I say all this with the intention that ALL of us wake up and take charge of what is going on in our bodies.  Heart disease needs to be more on the radar as a possibility for all of us, and we need to to pursue getting to the bottom of why we don’t feel right! We need to acknowledge that something is wrong.  Too often we use the excuse of menopause, or I’m too young to have heart issues, or this is just a phase because I’m going through a lot of stress at home or in my business etc.  Our excuses and rationale don’t acknowledge that we are not listening to our bodies and our bodies are not doing what we know is our personal normal.  All the information and awareness in the world will not do us any good until we take action and continue to push for answers.  We cannot afford to just “settle.”  Our life may depend on it.

Women of all ages should take heart disease seriously especially those with a family history.  That’s the first step.  Do you know your family history?  That means your biological parents, grandparents on both sides and maybe even great grandparents.  Does anyone in your family line have issues with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, stroke, are overweight, or have diabetes?   Are you yourself a smoker or are you around second hand smoke?  

Know your numbers!!  Blood pressure is optimal at less than 120/80.  Cholesterol levels are important.  Total cholesterol optimally should be less than 200; LD (bad cholesterol) less than 100 mg/dl; HDL (good cholesterol), more than 50 mg/dl; and triglycerides (a type of fat in the blood), less than 150 mg/dl.  (According to the AHA Journal) Healthy weight varies from person to person, but having a normal body mass index (BMI) is helpful.  A BMI of 25 or higher can be associated with an increased risk of heart disease.  Waist circumference is also a useful number to know.  It’s a tool to measure whether or not you’re overweight.  Women are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches (89 cm).  These numbers are important at any age and should be monitored from year to year.  Subtle changes happen and often times we are suddenly aware that an extra 5 pounds + has crept on and now it’s an additional 20 pounds. Then there are those pounds we never lost after the birth of each baby.

So what is in our control?  Learning our family history and learning/monitoring our numbers are the first two critical components.  Then it’s looking at our spouse, significant other, our children, and other family members.  Are we willing to make a lifestyle change for ourselves that will impact those special people in our lives?  Are we willing to not make excuses or rationalize away our well-being? Are we willing to take action NOW and be consistent?  Lifestyle changes are our first line of defense against heart disease. 

Living a healthy lifestyle must be your top priority.  The following suggestions are rated as Class I which means they’re the strongest recommendations given by an expert panel through the American Heart Association:

1.     Stop smoking cigarettes and avoid secondhand tobacco smoke.

2.    Get at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day.  If you need to lose weight, exercising at least 60 minutes may be needed.

3.    Start a cardiac rehabilitation program if you’ve recently been hospitalized or had a procedure for heart disease.

4.    Eat a heart-healthy diet that includes fruits, vegetable grains, low-fat or nonfat dairy products, fish legumes, and sources of protein low in saturated fat (such as; poultry, lean meats, and plant sources). 

5.    To maintain a healthy weight, balance the calories you eat with the amount you use up each day. 

6.    If it applies, lose weight.  Losing even a small amount of weight can help lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of diabetes. 

I can hear the excuses already…I don’t have time to work out, I can’t get my spouse/significant other or children to eat healthy foods, I’ve tried to quit smoking before and it just hasn’t worked, I’ve tried to lose weight before on ____ diet and it never worked or the weight never stayed off. 

Ok, are you done?  Now stand in front of a mirror and look at yourself.  Tell yourself that you’re not worth it, tell yourself you don’t deserve to be healthy, tell yourself the special people in your life won’t miss you when you’re gone.  Which is it?  You can’t have both. 

Make a choice to be the best YOU that you can be.  Start by living a healthy lifestyle that impacts YOU which will then impact all those special people in your life.  YOU CAN DO IT!  Take one small step at a time moving forward, take action, and be consistent with your thinking and your actions. 

February is heart health month.  Now take all this information into March and create a heart healthy life style from this day forward.

I wish you a week of awareness about your personal heart health.