Hi everyone,
Today of course is Valentine's Day. I can think of no better way to celebrate than by considering your heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer of women...it is so important for us to know our numbers and get serious about our heart health.
You all should know your cholesterol levels, HDL and LDL, triglycerides, blood sugar, and waist size. All of these are important predictors of heart health.
Check out the website www.goredforwomen.org for helpful information and make sure to read the signs of a heart attack that are common to women.
Carry regular aspirin with you so that you can chew one if you experience what you think might be a heart attack. I know it tastes awful but it gets into your bloodstream faster if you chew it rather than swallow it whole. Timing is everything when it comes to heart attacks.
I had open heart surgery for a mitral valve repair 2 years ago...it was very scary to walk into Northwestern Memorial Hospital here in Chicago with my family at 5 a.m. in the morning knowing what I was in for that day. I had worked many years ago as a nurse in the Recovery Room with post-operative heart surgery patients and it was one surgery I knew that I never wanted to have. After having the surgery it turned out to be all that I had worried about...even with a most competetent cardiovascular team and great nursing staff. Knowing too much was not a good thing in my case.
What I do know for sure is that I would not want to have to have another cardiovascular surgery if I could at all help it! Keeping up with your heart health is very important.
Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!
Nana
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