CURVES: February is Heart Month

By Julie Swanson

 February, the month of the heart and love! The heart any way you use it signifies LOVE. Even the heart within our body signifies and feels much love, so why not take care of it? If we take great care of it, we will ultimately be able to love and be loved by others. Did you know that heart failure is a major cause of death in women? It sure is!! Women have a much greater chance of getting heart disease than breast cancer. Statistics show that one out of every two women will die from heart disease, where the rate of death from breast cancer equals one out of twenty-five. So ladies, not to put a fear in any of you, but don’t you think we should be taking better care of our hearts than we do? As we get started, let’s talk about the risks of heart disease. Take a look at yourself as you read this and do a little “inventory” on your life and lifestyle. What are your risk factors? Let’s see…do you smoke, do you have hypertension, what about your blood cholesterol? Is it high? When was the last time you had it checked? Or, have you ever had it checked before? What about your weight? Are you over weight? Are you more than over weight? Think about your activity level, do you lead a sedentary lifestyle? An important factor that cannot be over looked ladies, is your eating habits. Are they good healthy choices or are they poor eating habits? In a short while, we will discuss what you can do to reduce your risks, but for now, what if you answered “NO” to the above questions? You may be in great shape, physically active and very healthy all around. Remember the name Florence Griffith Joyner? She was the 38 year old winner of three gold medals a the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, Korea. She being physically fit, died of a heart attack. This ladies, goes to show that ANY of us can be affected by heart disease. I can hear you now, “Julie, how can we lower our risks?” Well, first off – let’s get off our duffs and start exercising! Every week I tell you how much I look forward to meeting YOU! I say this every week from my heart, I truly do. Take care of you and your heart. Call me today and make an appointment to come into Curves and start taking care of yourself so that you can continue to love others and also fill your own heart with the the good stuff it needs! Gals, it is recommended that an average woman exercises 30 minutes , 3 to 5 days a week. At Curves, we have an awesome workout that is just 30 minutes and will help you reduce your heart disease risk factors! Moving on, let’s do a little more talking on reducing your risk factors. Do you smoke? If so, you need to quit! It is more than likely much easier for me to say that as I am not a smoker. But, if you put your mind, heart and soul into it, I have faith in you. There are so many quit smoking aids out there to assist you in the process. Did you know that smoking accounts for the vast majority of heart attacks in women under the age of 45? Another thought , women who smoke and are on Birth Control increase the risk of heart disease by 20 %. Those are just a few facts to ponder. When you want a cigarette, chew a piece of gum or a celery stick instead. I just know that if and when you quit, you will be much healthier and live a LONGER life! Nutrition is also a major factor in heart disease as well. Our Curves Weight Management Program focuses on a heart -healthy eating plan. One that is very easy to follow. Again, I know I have offered before, and will do so again. I am willing to get a class started up, all you ladies need to do is call me. If you truly want to get heart healthy, please don’t hesitate to call me at 582-0699 and we will get you on the right path. In your eating, remember to include whole grains, fresh fruit and vegetables, chicken, fish and lean red meats ( limited of course). If you are over weight, losing weight will reduce your risk of heart disease as well as many other health problems and risks. A couple more risk factors to think about are: Metabolic Syndrome: which in laymen terms mean, watch the fat around your abdomen. A women’s waist should be no more than 35 inches. Watch your blood pressure it should not be greater than 130/85. Get your blood sugar level and your high triglycerides checked by your doctor as well. These have a much greater impact on ladies than they do on men. Depression plays a factor as well. Depression is twice as common in women as it is in men. In turn, depression does increase your risk of heart disease by two to three times as those who are not depressed. As we know, depression makes it difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle, such as a loss of interest in your daily activities, you may have feelings of hopelessness and or unexplained changes in your appetite and weight. If you are suffering from depression, it is important to see your doctor. There is help for you, please don’t put it off any longer. You just need to make that phone call to them. In the long run, you will be very glad you did. Ok, we have now talked about the risks, what about the symptoms? This is what you need to look out for. – Pressure, fullness or squeezing pain in the center of your chest that lasts more than a few minutes or , goes away and then comes back. – Pain that extends to your shoulders , arms and neck. – Chest discomfort followed by dizziness, fainting, sweating, nausea or a shortness of breath. Now ladies, the above are all General Symptoms. As women, we need to look out for these symptoms as well. * Unusual pain in the chest, stomach or abdomen. * Nausea or dizziness. * Shortness of breath and having breathing difficulties. *Unusual fatigue, anxiety and a loss of strength. * Heart palpitations, cold sweat, or a pale complexion. If you experience ANY of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately! Just remember, that we are NEVER too young to have a heart attack. Take care of yourself, because when you do, your life will be as beautiful as you are!!! Keeping yourself healthy and your heart healthy is the best gift to give to those we love! I look forward to meeting you soon! Call 582-0699 to schedule your 1st workout at Curves! Mention this article and receive 50% off service fee and 30 days FREE! Next week, I am going to announce something GREAT and EXCITING that will benefit you and our local food pantry!