By Sara
How is it February already?! We are welcoming the month of February and taking a look at heart health this week. Since 1964, February has been designated American Heart Month. Go Red for Women brings additional awareness that heart disease is the number one killer of women, and works to remove the barriers women face in obtaining health and well being.
According to the American Heart Association, nearly 80% of cardiac events can be prevented. That is a whole lot of power in our grasp, ladies and gentlemen! Go Red is actually a mnemonic, which I didn’t realize prior to researching for this post:
G: Get your numbers- Have your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers checked regularly.
O: Own your lifestyle- Stop smoking, eat healthy, exercise, limit alcohol intake and maintain a healthy weight.
R: Realize your risk- Heart Disease kills 1 out of every 3 women. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it can’t happen to you.
E: Educate your family- Make healthy food choices for you and your family, and teach your children about healthy diet and the importance of keeping active.
D: Don’t be silent- Tell every woman you know that heart disease is our #1 killer. Learn the symptoms of heart attack and stroke (and learn how women’s symptoms may differ from men’s symptoms), and what to do if you experience them. Go to the American Heart Association website to learn more.
“According to the American Heart Association, nearly 80% of cardiac events can be prevented. That is a whole lot of power in our grasp, ladies and gentlemen! “
This Friday, February 5th is Go Red for Women Day. Wearing red is a way to bring attention to this common goal of educating the public to eradicate heart disease and stroke. So wear red for your sister, your mother, grandmother, girlfriends– for all the special women in your life. Wear red for yourself!
Some things you can do this month to celebrate are picking up a new, heart healthy habit, learning the risk factors for heart disease, and the ways you can prevent this, as well as lifestyle habits you can adopt to promote heart health. And don’t forget to test, not guess. Know your cholesterol numbers, blood pressure, and have any diagnostics you can to know what your current risk is and how to maximize your health.
A Coronary Artery Calcium Score is a quick CT scan of the heart’s arteries, and one of the most accurate ways to detect heart disease even in early stages. A Carotid Intimal Medial Thickness (CIMT) scan is another imaging test, which can detect both soft and hard plaques to determine your “arterial age”. Advanced labs, including testing for lipoprotein (a) and inflammatory markers can also help you to determine your level of risk.
Once you know better, you can do better in your lifestyle habits to limit risk. You can talk to your primary physician or your cardiologist if you have one to arrange testing, based on their recommendations. Probably best to schedule an appointment to discuss and request testing, as these tests are not typical ones that are ordered at a certain age. They are better done early, to help you know where you’re at so you can prevent progression of disease.
Some tests are not covered by insurance, so you may have an out-of-pocket cost associated with them. (Typically the coronary artery calcium score isn’t covered by insurance, but the benefit is that often you can call a hospital directly to schedule, without a requirement for an order for the test from a physician.) Don’t be shy about calling your insurer prior to scheduling tests, to be sure you know what your financial obligation will be. The information you gain is worth the cost of the test!
So there you have it– really good reasons to gather your gal pals and make sure you all know your risk and make changes together to minimize risk factors in your lives. Or make it a family affair, with your sister(s) and mother, grandmother and aunts!
Are you going to talk to your doctor about having testing done? Have you spoken to the important ladies in your life and asked them to do the same? If not, what are you waiting for? Get busy– I’ll wait! See ya’ back here next week!
