Give yourself cardio love
Published 12:01 am Tuesday, February 22, 2011
The month of February is all about the heart. Along with sharing paper hearts and sweet sentiments with your loved ones, the folks at the American Heart Association hope that you’ll take the time to celebrate American Heart Month and show a little love to your own.
Given the enormous impact that cardiovascular disease has on our country (especially in women) the shortest month of the year seems woefully inadequate to accomplish their mission “to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke”. It’s hard to fathom that more female deaths are directly attributable to heart disease than the next four killers (cancer, accidents, Alzheimer’s and respiratory disease) combined.
Fortunately, the staff and volunteers at the American Heart Association are busy year-round to inform, inspire and influence Americans to take better care of their health. Yet, in spite of their best efforts, death rates for women are still staggering. Every 60 seconds a woman loses her life to cardiovascular disease (which includes hypertension, coronary artery disease and stroke). That represents an astonishing 1,440 mothers, daughters, sisters, wives, aunts and friends every single day.
Last week, the American Heart Association announced new guidelines for the prevention of cardiovascular disease in women. While there’s not a lot that’s ground-breaking in their work, there are some subtle changes that acknowledge the significant role lifestyle plays in the practical application of these guidelines. For example, a recommendation to add depression screening to the evaluation process recognizes the link between emotional health and the ability to follow through with any treatment plan.
The American Heart Association is hoping that all of us — male and female alike — will log on to their web site to learn more about the heart health. Take the My Life Check Assessment and learn more about the Life’s Simple 7 approach to a healthier living.
Life’s Simple 7 is a practical list of things that will not only improve the health of your heart, but your other body parts as well. They are:
n Get active
n Control cholesterol
n Eat better
n Manage blood pressure
n Lose weight
n Reduce blood sugar
n Stop smoking
While the assessment and guidelines offer a terrific compass to get you pointed in the right direction, they don’t replace the need for a road map that can only be created in concert with your health care provider.
February offers the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on heart health, but, regardless of the calendar, the most important day to show some love to your heart is today.
