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.

Now You Want Me to Exercise?

According to Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, “If exercise and regular physical activity benefit the body, a sedentary lifestyle does the opposite, increasing the chances of becoming overweight and developing a number of chronic diseases.  This week, I want to directly talk about exercise.  Hear me out, you’re either already agreeing with me because you are actively exercising on a regular basis, or you’re already saying to yourself that you know all the benefits, but….  The excuses are beginning and probably the first being, “I don't have any more time in the day.”  (Remember…it’s not that you don’t have any time, we all have 24 hours, the real reason is that exercise isn't a priority.)  Yes, I know there are other reasons why you are telling yourself you can’t exercise, but read on.  There is SOMETHING that each of us can do!  IT’S IMPORTANT!!

Before going on, my story is one that probably sounds familiar, and my story is also full of excuses.  Working full time, going in early to take kids to school then getting ready for my teaching day, followed by all the demands of after school activities, fitting in dinner, and then grading papers or planning for the next day, my days were full and NO I didn't make exercising a priority.  The good news/bad news was I didn't have a weight problem therefore, I didn't think I needed to exercise.  (Of course, that’s also a limited understanding about exercise as it isn't just about weight loss.)  It wasn't until I was in my late 40’s did I begin to put a little exercise into my day.  Curves was the big craze, the Curves Centers were everywhere, they focused on women, and it was about 30 minutes.  That was my first introduction to the exercise world.  I admit I was surprised with how much more energy I found I had. After a couple of years Curves wasn't meeting my needs any more.  Jon and I came across some videos eg Slim in Six by Beach Body.  We began to use our basement as our “gym,” and we made a commitment to work out five days a week.  That was my next step.

My first suggestion for you is to decide if you are now willing to find time to do something.  You definitely need to assess your preferences - where and when do you prefer to do that “something?”  Are you someone who needs a partner or a support group to work out with?  Do you like a place like the Y or an athletic club, or are you ok doing videos in front of your TV at home?  Maybe you like to swim laps or walk around a track?  Maybe you just like to walk around the block especially when the weather warms up.  What works for you?  What is going to set you up to be successful from the start?  You must find something that is doable and will work for you, your time constraints, and your preferences.  Knowing what works best for you will allow you to be more apt to follow through on your commitment.  I, for one, did not like the athletic club environment; therefore, I was not committed. That meant I wasn't consistent in going and yes, I finally quit. 

“Although there are no sure-fire recipes for good health, the mixture of healthy eating and regular exercise comes awfully close.  Regular exercise or physical activity helps many of the body’s systems function better, keeps heart disease, diabetes, and a host of other diseases at bay, as well as a key ingredient for losing weight.”  What’s surprising is that “only 30% of adult Americans report they get regular physical activity during their leisure time and about 40% say they get no leisure-time physical activity at all.”  According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) and Prevention, “inactivity was associated with more than 9 million cases of cardiovascular disease in 2001, at an estimated direct medical cost of nearly $24 billion – and that was 14 years ago!!  If we can get people to become more active, we can cut yearly medical costs in the U.S. by more than $70 billion plus!”

As a brief overview, the benefits of exercise are numerous!  Exercise: (1) helps prevent disease, (2) improves stamina, (3) strengthens and tones when resistance training is included, (4) enhances flexibility which includes better posture and is key as you get older, (5) is key to weight control, (6) improves the overall quality of life.  According to the Mayo Clinic article on “Benefits of Regular Activity,” they also include the following benefits:  (1) not only will exercise prevent excess weight gain but will help maintain weight loss, (2)  there’s a decrease in your risk of cardiovascular diseases, and helps prevent a wide range of health problems such as stoke, type 2 diabetes, depression, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and falls, (3) stimulates various brain chemicals helping relieve stress, you may feel better about your appearance which boosts confidence and self-esteem, (4) when you’re feeling more energized because of the activity, you look better which does have a positive effect on your sex life J Not a bad list of positives. But is it enough to make you decide that you need to make a change in your level of activity?

Denise Austin wrote an article for AARP, “7 Healthy Lifestyle Tips.”   Now at age 58 she shares these tips with the first one the foundation….START!!  “It’s all about establishing a routine even if it’s 10 minutes to move and five minutes added the next time.  (2) Mix up your activity for best results which also helps with not getting bored.  Intervals blast the fat, (3) Find your personal joy in WHY you want to get healthy, (4) Be CONSISTENT.  Consistency is KEY!  (5)  If you use music, vary what you listen to, (6) Eat well 80% of the time.  Denise gives herself “cheat meals” 20% of the time.  It’s a balance.  That would not be the case, however, if you have a great deal of weight to lost first, (7) Keep superfoods on hand – banish junk food. 

Our daughter made a decision almost a year ago that she wanted to look and feel better.  She and her husband are in their early 30’s, and have committed to the importance of exercise as a priority for all of the above benefits.  They both work full time, they have two children, and are BUSY.  Elsa has been focusing on changing their eating habits by planning meals two to three weeks in advance and also plans out healthy snack choices for all of them to have on hand.  The key is once again healthy eating AND exercising as a mindset.  This is not something that happens overnight.  What it does take is a mindset, commitment, and consistency.  She made a decision to START.  No more excuses.

 

“Exercise is one of those rare things where the hype actually meets reality.  Next to not smoking, getting regular physical activity is arguably the best thing you can do for your health.  Any amount of exercise is better than none.  The more you get, though, the better. 

I wish you a week of starting YOUR physical activity,.  Set yourself up to be successful,  know your limits, know your personal needs, and find the tools eg. Yoga class, videos, etc. you need to get started. I’d love to hear your thoughts.

How's Your Heart Health?

According to the Mayo Clinic, “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 take action to 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 to research out of the 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.  A dear friend has been fighting extreme fatigue, weight gain despite eating healthy, and has gone to her physician, an endocrinologist, a chiropractor, and has tried a number of things, however, continues feeling crummy and battling the fatigue.  She is a lady who has a lot of interests, has started her own business, is active in her social life, is a grandmother, and a positive person.  So her frustration has been significant.  Recently, she was directed to a cardiologist.  Her treadmill tests turned out fine as did the various imaging they did.  She does have some family history of stroke and heart disease.  That in and of itself is significant! 

What’s fascinating is despite our long conversations trying to figure out the next step to go for more information, neither one of us thought about heart disease!  Why is that?  Despite some level of awareness, neither one of us even went down that path.  My take away from her experience is two-fold:  one, heart disease needs to be more on the radar as a possibility for all of us, and two, we need to continue 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 need to be listening to our bodies and our bodies are not doing what we know is our 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 we've added an extra 5, 10, or 15 pounds. Then there are those pounds we never lost after the birth of each baby.

So what is in our control?  Learn your family history and monitor your numbers!  Next,  look at our spouse, significant other, your children, and other family members.  Are you willing to make a lifestyle change for yourself that will impact those special people in your life?  Are you willing to NOT make excuses or rationalize away your well-being? Are you willing to take action NOW and be consistent?  Lifestyle changes are your 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, you know. 

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.