Heart of the matter

We are fully emerged into February, the month each year when medical professionals and healthcare organizations try to bring more awareness to heart health. While it should be a year-round priority for everyone, February is speci cally aimed at putting a focus on cardiovascular health.

I am extremely proud of my name. To be called “ elma” comes with some pride every time I hear it. You see, I was named after my grandmother who died months before I was born. As I am often told, my grandmother wanted a granddaughter so badly.

I never go to meet her. So, I got the next best thing — her name.

My grandmother was 50 years old when she died of a heart attack. My mom’s side of the family is a mess when it comes to genetic health, but the heart is the biggest concern.

My mom was afraid to turn 50 because of heart issues that owed through her family. When 50 came and went — she was relieved, but she de nitely keeps up with heart testing and taking preventative measures. For me, now in my 40s, I tend to ask my doctor a lot of questions about my heart. I share a name with a woman I never met because in the 1970s there was a lot less information available to people about heart health.

ere really wasn’t a month aimed speci cally at raising hearth health awareness.

A heart problem can be sneaky, since symptoms can present di erently in every individual. Someone with heart disease or heart failure may not experience the same symptoms as another person with the same condition.

While breast cancer tends to get a lot of attention in terms of women’s health and preventative measures — heart disease is actually a bigger culprit each year.

According to the CDC, despite e orts to increase awareness, only 56% of women recognized heart disease as the top killer. As the leading cause of death for women in the U.S., heart disease was responsible for 314,186 women dying in 2020. at equates to 1 in every 5 female deaths.

For personal reasons I write about women, but in reality, heart disease has a huge e ect on the entire U.S. population.

According to the CDC, one person dies every 34 seconds in the U.S. of cardiovascular disease. In total, 697,000 Americans died in 2020 of heart disease. at equates to 1 in every 5 deaths.

According to the CDC, the term heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions because it all goes toward issues a ecting the blood ow around the heart. Decreased blood ow, for instance, can cause a heart attack.

Sometimes heart disease can go completely unnoticed and undiagnosed until a person su ers from a heart attack, heart failure or arrythmia.

Instead of waiting for something major to happen, health o cials continue to stress the need to be proactive in healthcare, meaning taking preventative measures and tests as directed each year.

For more information on issues of the heart, visit the American Heart Association website at heart.org.

elma Grimes is the south metro editor for Colorado Community Media.

LINDA SHAPLEY Publisher lshapley@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MICHAEL DE YOANNA Editor-in-Chief michael@coloradocommunitymedia.com

THELMA GRIMES South Metro Editor tgrimes@coloradocommunitymedia.com

MCKENNA HARFORD Community Editor mharford@coloradocommunitymedia.com

Rising above the noise

Starting in 1996 I began living in Highlands Ranch and in 2001 bought a small a condo in Edwards, Colorado. The elevation in Highlands Ranch is about 5,800 feet, and Edwards is just over 7,500 feet. Coming from sea level on the East Coast, it took a little time to acclimate to the elevation. And soon enough all was well and everyone was just fine.

Having spent the past few years traveling back to the East Coast and

Letters To The Editor

Support pet bill

Many of us know rst-hand the challenges of nding housing or homeowners insurance if we have a pet. House Bill 23-1068 would offer important assistance to help pet owners, which in turn would help keep more families housed and keep animals out of shelters. HB 23-1068 has several important elements. It would prohibit pet security deposits for renters while creating a damage mitigation fund to help landlords if needed. It would require landlords to contact animal control if a pet is left behind during an eviction. It would require a ordable housing developments to allow pets if they want to receive the Colorado Housing Tax Credit. And, last but not least, it would prohibit in-

ERIN ADDENBROOKE Marketing Consultant eaddenbrooke@coloradocommunitymedia.com

AUDREY BROOKS Business Manager abrooks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

ERIN FRANKS Production Manager efranks@coloradocommunitymedia.com

LINDSAY NICOLETTI Operations/ Circulation Manager lnicoletti@coloradocommunitymedia.com spending most of my time at sea level again, I knew coming back to Colorado was going to be an adjustment, but since I work out, and have been back skiing, I didn’t think much of it.

Well, what I didn’t realize is that the house I would be living in for five weeks was situated at 10,200 feet. Skiing at 11,000 feet or 12,000 feet never really impacted

SEE NORTON, P13 surance companies from using the breed of a dog to deny housing insurance. is last point is key. Evidence shows that the breed of a dog is not the determinant of aggressive or destructive behavior. Individual dogs are individuals — just like people. Insurance companies would still have the power to deny insurance if an individual dog’s behavior is a problem, but it would prevent breed discrimination, and that in turn would keep thousands of dogs from ending up in shelters because their owners can’t get insurance.

Please let your state legislator know: vote yes on HB 23-1068.

Diana Shubart Highlands Ranch

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