Happy February!
Well, January flashed past,
and so has the first week of February.
It will be Valentine’s Day next week, and everywhere you look you will
see hearts—on cards, store displays, flower shop ads, you name it. In the spirit of the holiday, we even have a
red spangly heart on our front door (I finally got the wreath down about a week
ago), and before we know it, I will be replacing it with a shamrock. Before I do that, though, let’s talk about
hearts a little more.
February is recognized as American Heart Month and the
following is worth noting: “Heart disease takes the lives of far too many
people in this country, depriving their families and communities of someone
they love and care for—a father, a mother, a wife, a friend, a neighbor, a spouse.
With more than 2 million heart attacks and strokes a year, and 800,000 deaths,
just about all of us have been touched by someone who has had heart disease,
heart attack, or a stroke.”
– Department of Health and
Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
Think of it. There
are 2 million heart attacks and strokes, and 800,000 deaths every year. I, for one, don’t want to be included in
those statistics, and I hope and imagine you don’t either. We all know we need to eat better, get
exercise, sleep more, etc. What we also
need to know, though, is what to look for as symptoms of heart disease and stroke. In this posting, I will list the signs of a
possible heart attack. In the next, I
will list the signs of a possible stroke.
Symptoms of a heart attack include:
- chest discomfort (uncomfortable pressure, squeezing,
fullness or pain) - upper body discomfort, including pain in one or both
arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach - shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort
- other signs may include nausea, lightheadedness, or
breaking out in a cold sweat, overwhelming fatigue
Remember, women are more likely to
experience shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain. If you have
any of these symptoms, CALL 911. If it is a false alarm, so what? It is better to be embarrassed than dead.
Dear readers, I want you to
practice good heart health so you will be around to read these columns for a
long time. If you have any questions or
comments, please note them below. With
all my heart, Bette
|
|