The way is not in the sky. The way is in the heart. ~ Buddha
February 3rd, 2012: AHA's "Go Red For Women Day"
Wear Red to remind the women in your life to:
Love Your Heart
Our entire Yorktown office team plus Dennis and I "Wore Red for Women" February 3rd , to highlight heart disease in women.
Know the Risk Factors for Heart Disease That You Can Control
Important Facts on Heart Disease in Women:
90% women have at least one risk factor
heart disease is the #1 killer of women
heart diseaase kills more women than all cancers combined
in the U.S., one woman dies of heart disease every 39 seconds
What You Can/Must Do to Love Your Heart
Quit Smoking
If you smoke, resolve to quit. Smoking cigarettes puts you at much greater risk for having a heart attack, and it’s the single greatest cause of preventable death in the United States. Constant exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke also increases your risk — even if you don’t smoke. If you’re a woman who uses birth control pills and you smoke, your risk is even higher. The bottom line: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. And if you do smoke, quit! When you stop smoking — no matter how long or how much you’ve smoked — your risk of heart attack drops.(nyssmokefree.com)
Control Your Cholesterol
Know your numbers to know your risk. A simple blood test can show if your blood cholesterol level is desirable, borderline-high or high.
High Blood Pressure Control
Have your blood pressure checked each time you visit your doctor. High blood pressure is often called the "silent killer" because it has no symptoms. After age 55, a much higher percentage of women than men have high blood pressure.
Physical Activity: Don't Be Sedentary
Get up and get moving. Nearly 26% of all women are sedentary. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends at least 30 minutes of physical activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week. Regular physical activity helps reduce your risk of heart attack, heart disease and stroke.
Obesity Control
Obesity isn’t an appearance issue, it’s a health issue.
Obesity is a major health problem for all Americans, including children. Among women ages 20 and older, almost 60% of non-Hispanic whites, 80% of non-Hispanic blacks and 73% of Mexican Americans are overweight or obese (have a body mass index of 25.0 kg/m2 or higher). If you’re obese or overweight, you have a much higher risk of developing heart disease.
Diabetes Check
Have your glucose levels checked regularly, especially if diabetes runs in your family. A simple blood test done at the doctor’s office can show if you’re at risk. Among women age 20 and older, about 6% of non-Hispanic whites, 13% of non-Hispanic blacks and 11% of Mexican Americans have physician-diagnosed diabetes. About 22 million women are estimated to have pre-diabetes.
Check your own risk:
On the American Heart Association site (americanheart.org), you can discover your personal risk of having a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. If you know your cholesterol and blood pressure, you can use this tool at heart.org
It will also check to see if you may have metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that greatly increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes. This risk assessment can be use by people age 20 or older who do not already have known heart disease or diabetes.
Heart Attack Warning Signs:
1. Chest Pain
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
2. Discomfort in other areas of the body
Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
3. Shortness of breath
4. Sweating, heart racing, chest pressure
5. Nausea, light-headedness
If you experience these signs, call 911, don't try to drive yourself to the Emergency Room. EMS can get your treatment started en route to the hospital. (nwhc.net)
GoRedForWomen.org, American Heart Association. Also known as the Heart Fund. 8/08CB0356TM Go Red trademark of AHA, Red Dress trademark of DHHS.
