Heart health: given that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States, it deserves more than our passing attention, don’t you think?
Everyone Cares About Heart Health – and Yet –
Most of Us Ignore It Unless We Have Symptoms!
So, let’s start with symptoms as described by The Washington State Department of Health.
Stroke
- Sudden numbness or weakness in the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body
- Sudden confusion or trouble understanding speech
- Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes
- Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, or loss of balance or coordination
- Sudden severe headache with no known cause
Heart attack
- Pain or discomfort in the chest
- Lightheadedness, nausea or vomiting
- Jaw, neck or back pain
- Discomfort or pain in arm or shoulder
- Shortness of breath
There are a Bunch of Types of Heart Disease
I’ll Make It Easy For You
Examples from WebMD include the following. You can learn much more about each topic by clicking on the links below for details. If you don’t care right now, keep scrolling for other kinds of information!
Cardiovascular diseases are conditions that affect the structures or function of your heart, such as:
- Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias
- Aorta disease and Marfan syndrome
- Congenital heart disease
- Coronary artery disease (narrowing of the arteries)
- Deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy)
- Heart valve disease
- Pericardial disease
- Peripheral vascular disease
- Rheumatic heart disease
- Stroke
- Vascular disease (blood vessel disease)
Where Do Experts Go to Share Information for Improving Heart Health?
In 2017, a group called, the National Forum, released a series of reports focused on cardiovascular disease and stroke in the nation. The Signature Reports highlight trends and opportunities for improving heart health.
Who comprises the National Forum and why was it founded?
The National Forum
(Quoting from its website)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the American Heart Association, and the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials saw the need for public, private, and nonprofit organizations to share learnings and successful practices and collaborate to improve cardiovascular health. They co-founded the National Forum in 2002 to serve as the hub for that collaboration and collective voice.
It lists the following mission statement and additional concepts.
OUR MISSION
To spark and lead collaborative action to achieve health equity and optimize cardiovascular health and well-being throughout the lifespan.
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- Share successful strategies and practices, and lessons learned
- Discuss new ideas in a collaborative environment
- Develop, pilot, and scale innovative approaches to prevent cardiovascular disease
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Your qualified organization can join it. As an individual, you can support it financially, and you can subscribe to it for updated information, meetings, and events.
Heart Health Is In Everyone’s Interest
There are many sources of information for preventive and restorative care regarding heart issues so I won’t list them all. However, here is a link to the Mayo Clinic with excellent recommendations.
Similarly, I won’t suggest a list of physical exercises, but here is a link to Johns Hopkins Medicine that provides what you need to know. Click on the pic to watch my girl do what she needs to do.
May 2024 = Heart Health Awareness Month
Please share this information with anyone whom you think can benefit. Thank you and stay healthy!
Let’s Get Well, Stay Well, and Live Well!
