Love your Heart

February is heart month!

Heart disease is the number one cause of death globally, but it is preventable through lifestyle choices. Around 1 in 16 women over age 20 have heart disease. Your heart is a vital organ, pumping blood through the lungs and throughout your body to deliver nutrients and oxygen and remove wastes keeping your body functioning. Heart disease can cause problems with breathing, pain, fatigue, brain fog, fertility, and sensation. Poor circulation can make your skin dry, and flaky. You may have trouble playing with your family, or even trouble connecting with your husband intimately.

Atherosclerosis is a hardening of the arteries from a buildup of plaque (cholesterol deposits) and leads to heart disease. Arteries carry blood away from the heart to the tissues. They should stretch a little as blood pumps through. When they can’t stretch, the heart pumps harder and becomes weak. Coronary artery disease is atherosclerosis in the arteries that feed the heart muscle. This requires surgery. Without blood flow, the muscle dies and doesn’t heal. Congestive heart failure happens when the heart grows weak, causing fatigue, swollen legs, and/or a wet cough. It’s commonly treated with diuretics, oxygen, and some physical therapy, but cannot be reversed. Eventually, the heart gives up and the person dies.
The biggest changeable risk factors for heart disease are a poor quality diet (gluttony), lack of activity (sloth), stress, smoking/vaping, excessive alcohol consumption, and use of drugs like meth and cocaine (usually from pride).

Heart healthy changes to avoid heart disease:
-Quit smoking and vaping now. For help, call: 1-800-QUIT-NOW
-Quit illicit drugs. For help call: 1-800-662-HELP
-Limit alcohol to 4 servings per week, on separate days.
-Include foods rich in fiber, lower in saturated fat and cholesterol, and limit salt intake.
-Get active! A good starting goal could be to walk 30 minutes per day, 5 to 7 days per week. Other ideas to get your heart pumping include rowing, swimming, pickleball, cycling, and jump roping.
-Supplements such as CoQ10, Vitamin D, and Omega-3 fatty acids can reduce inflammation and strengthen the heart. Please consult with your primary care doctor before using supplements.
-Get good sleep and manage stress.
-Practice spiritual care to overcome the vices that lead to destruction and reinforce the virtues (humility, temperance, and diligence).

Ali Gawell, BSN

For more information visit the NIH women’s heart health website: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth
OR
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/education/heart-truth/yes-you-can-prevent-heart-disease