WELCOME TO HEART HEALTH MONTH
Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog. It’s February when our thoughts gravitate to matters of the heart, including valentines, love and romance. Yet, February also is American Heart Health Month, so as we focus on the happiness of our hearts this month, we also need to focus on the health of our hearts.
In fact, for 60 years now the American Heart Association has strived to bring the issue of heart health to everyone, and especially to women everywhere.
You see, heart disease is the number one health risk for women. It’s more lethal than all women’s cancers put together, including breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. Indeed, while 1 in 13 women will die of breast cancer, 1 in every 3 will die of cardiovascular disease. And more than ninety percent of women have at least one risk factor for developing heart disease.
For these reasons, Heart Health Month is extremely important to all of us at Fleischer Studios where each year my co-host, Betty Boop and I bring this annual message to all our friends. And while Betty may be an animated character, she is never more serious than when addressing issues that involve justice, women’s rights, and female empowerment. She is a champion of women’s health care, and taking a stand against heart disease and protecting the health of women everywhere is a cause that Betty holds very near and dear to her heart.
Unfortunately, when it comes to heart disease, we women have our work cut out for us. You see, when women face this disease, they are typically under-treated and under-served compared to their male counterparts. In fact, it’s not uncommon at all for women suffering symptoms associated with heart disease and seeking help, to be sent home from the hospital only to find out later that they actually suffered a heart attack.
Accordingly, it’s time for us to join forces with the American Heart Association to help raise our awareness of heart disease among women by reviewing some vital information, beginning with the 5 risk factors of which we all need to be aware.
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE & CHOLESTEROL
Both of these conditions can lead to coronary heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.
SMOKING
Tobacco usage in all its forms, is linked to many diseases, including cardiovascular and heart disease.
FAMILY HISTORY
Heredity plays an important role in the development of many diseases and heart disease is one of them. If this disease runs in one’s family, the risk for developing the disease increases.
OBESITY
For women, being overweight and having excess weight around the abdomen in particular increase the risk for heart disease.
DIABETES
This pre-existing medical condition increases the risk for heart disease in both women and men, but more so in women.
In light of these risks, the symptoms we need to monitor are unexplained pain, unusual fatigue or shortness of breath, dizziness or lightheadedness, and nervous cold sweats, all of which could be signs of heart-related conditions.
TIPS FOR PROTECTION
A part of overall cardiac health includes our Heart Rate Variability or HRV, which refers to the variation in time between successive heartbeats. Also known as inter-beat intervals, HRV measures the autonomic nervous system’s ability to adapt to stress, environmental changes, and physical activity. For example, a high HRV usually reflects a good cardiovascular system and overall health. A low HRV, however, can signal signs of stress, poor health and an inability of the body to adapt to physical and mental demands.
HRV is influenced by factors such as age, quality of sleep, or fitness level and can be monitored in clinical settings with one’s primary physician. Or we can monitor it ourselves with the help of Apple watches, Garvin devices, a Whoop Strap or an Oura ring.
And of course, we have other ways we can protect ourselves and monitor our cardiac health, including some of the most obvious which include:
- AVOID SMOKING
- LIMIT ALCOHOL INTAKE
- EXERCISE MORE
- MANAGE WEIGHT
- EAT WELL
It’s not really that difficult, Ladies. As Betty and the American Heart Association remind us every year, a little common sense and a bit of basic medical know-how will go a long way in helping us reach our goals of improving our health and protecting our hearts.
In closing, I send thanks to the American Heart Association for their tireless efforts to educate and inform all of us about heart disease in its many forms. I also thank Betty Boop and our team at Fleischer Studios for joining forces once again in delivering this important message to women everywhere.
And last but never least, we send a big HEART-FELT thanks to all of you! May we all enjoy a wonderful February and 2025 filled with promise, possibility and happy, healthy hearts.
Until next time everyone, stay safe, stay in GOOD HEALTH and . . .
TAKE THE COURSE AND TAKE CHARGE!
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