Heart and Stroke Month

So I'm deciding to write a more serious piece today since February is the month in which the Heart and Stroke Foundation likes to inform people about their heart health. I thought I'd help do my part and spread the word, especially since I’m a nurse who works on a cardiac unit lol.

Heart Disease Information:

When it comes to your heart there are certain risk factors in which you can change, and some which you can't here are a list of both types.

Things you can't change:

• Genetics: some people are predisposed to heart disease
• Age: don't you wish you could change this lol
• Family History: if you have more than one immediate relative who has heart related issues, it is important to keep on top of your heart health as this puts you into a higher risk category for heart disease
• History of a stroke or TIA's (transient ischemic attack)
• Ethnicity: First Nations, African or South Asian people have a higher risk factors for heart disease

Things you can change or control: Which is probably the most important list out of these two

• High Blood Pressure: increase blood pressure adds more strain to the heart muscles
• High Cholesterol: you get a build up of plaque which remains in your arteries and causes your heart to work harder to pump the blood through
• Diabetes: if you have diabetes it is important to properly control your sugars
• Being overweight: with a higher percentage of body fat, you also have more blood vessels and this added distance creates more work for the heart
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption
• Physical Inactivity: a sedentary lifestyle is never good for the body
• Smoking: the carcinogens and pathogens from the cigarettes create plaques which remain in your arteries and veins
• Stress: increased stress increases your blood pressure

The most important thing about your heart is making sure you take care of it.

Stroke Information:

For a stroke I feel the most pertinent information would be the warning signs. Should you have a sudden onset of the following 5 things, immediately call your local emergency services:

1. Numbness or Weakness
2. Confusion
3. Dizziness
4. Sudden Vision Problems
5. Trouble Speaking

For more information here please visit the Heart and Stroke Foundations website at www.heartandstroke.ca

~Meg

He who enjoys good health is rich, though he knows it not.

-Italian Proverb