It has been almost one year since my sister passed away suddenly of a heart attack at age 50! As February is best known for Valentine’s Day, and the sharing of one’s heart with others, I would like to dedicate this blog to my sister in the hopes that other lives will not be cut as short as hers.
Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women in the U.S. and the leading cause of disability among women. The most common cause of heart disease is Coronary Artery Disease, which is the leading cause of heart attack and the condition my sister had, unbeknownst to anyone. She did have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, both risk factors for the disease. And if she had just worked to manage these two factors, she might be here today.
This Valentine’s Day, please encourage your loved ones to follow the American Heart Association’s guidelines for maintaining a healthy heart:
Stop smoking
Maintain a healthy weight
Exercise
Eat a heart healthy diet
Manage your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar
Start a walking group, support each other!
For more information see www.heart.org
And remember, February is American Heart Month!
