Seven Steps to Save Your Heart
It’s the month of valentines and nobody’s closer to your heart than you. But each year 1.5 million Americans suffer a hear attack or stroke. More than 800,000 of them die.
Now the Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are leading Million Hearts, a national initiative to help prevent these deaths.
Here are 7 things you can do to be your own sweet heart:
- Know the signs of a heart attack. They happen when blood flow to a part of the heart is blocked by a blood clot. You may feel pain or discomfort in your jaw or check, stomach or back. You may feel weak, dizzy, light headed or faint. You may have chest pain or pain in your arms or shoulder. Women in particular experience nausea, shortness of breath, upper back pressure and unusual fatigue. You can help yourself by coughing. Hard. Every 5 seconds. And call 911.
- Know the signs of a stroke. They happen when a blood vessel in the brain is blocked by a clot. Speech and vision are slurred, muscles don’t work, there’s dizziness and disorientation. Call 911 fast. Today’s medicine can stop and reverse the effects of a stroke. The faster you get this treatment, the better the chances of reversing the effects of the stroke and saving your life.
- Don’t smoke. Don’t smoke. Don’t smoke. And if you do, be very careful in cold weather. Breathing is more difficult which puts more strain on an already working-hard-to-cope system.
- Manage your weight-cholesterol-blood pressure-blood sugar numbers. Today’s health insurance pays for annual doctor visits so you can know your numbers and get help maintaining levels that are best for you.
- Exercise every day. Move to breathe. Do 20-40 minutes of continuous rhythmic movement.
- Get vaccinated and boosted for COVID. People with heart disease have a higher chance of dying if they get COVID.
- Laugh. It’s been called “internal jogging”. The effects of laughter to support a healthy body, mind and life can’t be over-emphasized.
While the government is trying to look after a Million Hearts, you’re the one who needs to take care of yours. Be good to yourself and be well.