Heart disease remains the number one killer in the U.S. for both men and women. February is a great month to encourage your clients to renew their commitment to heart healthy habits
February’s focus on heart health is near and dear to me. My dear father had heart disease from the time I was 3 years old and died 10 years later, at age 56. I was only 13 at the time, and it changed my life. A cherished uncle followed, and then another uncle (my dad’s brothers). Years later my mom had a heart attack, which was the beginning of her health decline at age 80. Then, a few years ago, I was challenged with a heart arrhythmia – I was the same age my dad was when he died. I never thought I’d see the day when I was the heart patient! But I was fortunate to have great care at the Cleveland Clinic where an ablation procedure cured my symptoms. However, I am careful to follow lifestyle habits to avoid future issues. My story is not unique – more than 1 in 3 adults have at least one type of cardiovascular disease (1).
Anyone who knows me, knows that I have focused my career on improving nutrition care for older adults. Well, I’m celebrating a milestone birthday this month – and I’m getting closer to being an “older adult” myself! So my health is at the center of my thoughts. Just because I’m a registered dietitian nutritionist, doesn’t mean that I’m immune to health issues – or bad habits for that matter. Heart month is a time to renew the commitment to heart-healthy lifestyle habits. I hope this information will help you coach your clients to make changes to improve both the quality and quantity of their lives – so that their children can enjoy them for many years to come.
Background Information
About 1 of every 3 deaths in the US is a result of heart disease, stroke or other cardiovascular disease. There are some risk factors that cannot be controlled: age over 45 for men, over 55 for women, heredity (including race), or previous stroke or heart attack. But there are many risk factors that can be controlled: hypertension, tobacco smoking, hypercholesterolemia, physical inactivity, overweight/obesity, and diabetes. (2) Almost half (47%) of Americans have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or are smokers (3), risk factors that can be addressed through lifestyle change.
Encourage your clients to know their numbers.
Heart disease risk is based on many factors. Each person will have goals for blood sugar, blood pressure, blood lipids (total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol), and BMI based on their family history and medical condition, so encourage your clients to talk to their health care providers about setting goals. electric tricycle for adults