Get Healthy De Soto

…having a long-lasting positive impact on the health and safety of the De Soto community by encouraging healthy lifestyle choices, through programs promoting physical activity, healthy nutrition, weight control and disease and injury prevention.

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Heart Attack Symptoms

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Continuing with our theme of heart health, here are 4 symptoms of a heart attack. If these are present, call 9-1-1.

  1. CHEST DISCOMFORT-Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
  2. DISCOMFORT IN OTHER AREAS OF THE UPPER BODY-Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
  3. SHORTNESS OF BREATH-with or without chest discomfort.
  4. OTHER SIGNS-may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.

A couple of ways to ensure a healthy heart: eat right and exercise. That sounds really basic, but it is also really true. And again, if you experience symptoms of a heart attack, calling 9-1-1 is the best way to get help.

Stress and Heart Health

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Atrial fibrillation, also known as AFib, is the most common type of irregular heartbeat and affects over 2.7 million Americans.

Stress can activate the body’s physiologic stress response and cause the release of inflammatory molecules. These may damage the heart tissue, which could then lead to the development of AFib…maybe. The link isn’t well-researched yet, but that’s the initial thought from researchers about stress and heart health. Another is the causation between depression and heart health. Does depression make you more susceptible to heart issues or do heart issues make you more susceptible to depression? Although unknown, it seems clear that stress is bad for your body, including your heart.

Here are three tips to get you past a stressful moment (or too many snow days with your children in the house)
  1. Listen to Ben Harper’s Winter is for Lovers. It’s a great piece of music, but any music you enjoy can be very calming and help reduce stress.
  1. Exercise! Yes, here again is the idea that moving isn’t just good for your muscles but good for your outlook on life. Taking a 15 minute walk (even through the snow) can help reduce your stress.
  2. Trade out a grumpy mood through gratitude. Try this: write out a thank you note to your neighbor, spouse, mail carrier; anyone who has brightened your life in the last week or who you think is feeling underappreciated. Writing out something that you can feel good about will help you shift your perspective to something positive. That, in turn, can improve your mood and alleviate stress.

Wear Red

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Tomorrow, I will wear red. You should wear red too. It is National Wear Red Day. Why is it National Wear Red Day? The idea is to raise awareness about the number of women who die from cardiovascular disease. Awareness won’t keep my mother or your mother from dying though, so if you think wearing a red shirt is going to tip some magical scale, I keep a beautiful unicorn in my barn that I’d like to show you!

We need to do more than just wear red. Heart disease remains the top cause of death for women in the United States. In fact, many women are unaware of the signs of a heart attack or stroke.

So it is time to do more than just wear red. Here are practical things you can do:

  • Talk to your doctor about your heart health, especially if there is a history of cardiovascular disease in your family.
  • Learn the signs of a heart attack or stroke, particularly those that are exhibited more prominently in women.
  • Donate to the American Heart Association.
  • Reach out to your sister, aunt, etc. and make sure they know the signs of a heart attack or stroke too.

Do more than just wear red!

Blood Pressure

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February is American Heart Month, so if knowledge is power, you’re about to be nearly invincible with your powerful knowledge about blood pressure.

What is blood pressure?

When the heart pumps blood through the arteries, the blood puts pressure on the artery walls. This is known as blood pressure. Blood pressure is the pressure of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries. Arteries carry blood from your heart to other parts of your body. Your blood pressure normally rises and falls throughout the day.

What do blood pressure numbers mean?

Blood pressure is measured using two numbers:

  • The first number, called systolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart beats.
  • The second number, called diastolic blood pressure, measures the pressure in your arteries when your heart rests between beats.

What are normal blood pressure numbers?

A normal blood pressure level is less than 120/80 mmHg. No matter your age, you can take steps each day to keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.

What is high blood pressure (hypertension)?

High blood pressure, also called hypertension, is blood pressure that is higher than normal. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day based on your activities. Having blood pressure measures consistently above normal may result in a diagnosis of high blood pressure (or hypertension).

The higher your blood pressure levels, the more risk you have for other health problems, such as heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.

Your health care team can diagnose high blood pressure and make treatment decisions by reviewing your systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels and comparing them to levels found in certain guidelines.

What are the signs and symptoms of high blood pressure?

High blood pressure usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it. Measuring your blood pressure is the only way to know whether you have high blood pressure.

What causes high blood pressure?

High blood pressure usually develops over time. It can happen because of unhealthy lifestyle choices, such as not getting enough regular physical activity. Certain health conditions, such as diabetes and having obesity, can also increase the risk for developing high blood pressure. High blood pressure can also happen during pregnancy.

Hypertension complications: stroke, heart attack, kidney damage.

You can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems that may affect your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes.resize iconView Larger

What problems does high blood pressure cause?

High blood pressure can damage your health in many ways. It can seriously hurt important organs like your heart, brain, kidneys, and eyes. The good news is that, in most cases, you can manage your blood pressure to lower your risk for serious health problems.

How do I know if I have high blood pressure?

There’s only one way to know if you have high blood pressure: Have a doctor or other health professional measure it. Measuring your blood pressure is quick and painless. Talk with your health care team about regularly measuring your blood pressure at home, also called self-measured blood pressure (SMBP) monitoring. High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because it usually has no warning signs or symptoms, and many people do not know they have it.

What can I do to prevent or manage high blood pressure?

Many people with high blood pressure can lower their blood pressure into a healthy range or keep their numbers in a healthy range by making lifestyle changes. Talk with your health care team about

  • Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week (about 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week)
  • Not smoking
  • Eating a healthy diet, including limiting sodium (salt) and alcohol
  • Keeping a healthy weight
  • Managing stress

Talk with your health care team right away if you think you have high blood pressure or if you’ve been told you have high blood pressure but do not have it under control.

By taking action to lower your blood pressure, you can help protect yourself against heart disease and stroke, also sometimes called cardiovascular disease.

Now for your test!

Blood Pressure Test

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DeSoto, MO 63020