2 Love Your Heart
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer
6 easy ways to take better care of your health
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BY STATEPOINT
new year is an excellent opportunity to assess your health and resolve to make positive lifestyle changes. “Many people work hard to establish healthy habits at the beginning of the year. But for those with busy schedules and tight budgets, maintaining these habits over time can be a challenge,” says Jill TurnerMitchael, senior vice president of Sam’s Club, Consumables and Health and Wellness. To help people prioritize and maintain their health in 2017, Turner-Mitchael and Sam’s Club pharmacists are offering tips that are practical and affordable. • Secure Regular Screenings: It is important to get regular health screenings to keep track of the state of your health. Routine tests are often the first to get postponed when people get busy, but they are crucial for ensuring any potential medical issues are identified and addressed as early as possible. Resist the urge to let cost or time constraints prevent you from getting regular check-ups. For example, free health screenings are often available at Sam’s Club, which offers a full suite of affordable health care offerings. These screenings are open to both members and the public at no cost, covering a wide range of tests to assess various health factors. Don’t forget regular vision and hearing tests, as well. • Ask Questions: Don’t be afraid to ask questions and seek out advice for improving your health. One easily accessible professional resource that is often overlooked is your local pharmacist. Before visiting the pharmacy, consider whether you have any health questions and jot them down. Pharmacists are eager to help people understand their medications and health, and you don’t need to go through the hassle of making an appointment. • Focus on Fresh Foods: Incorporating fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein and legumes into your meals can help you maintain a healthy weight, while also building your immunity and muscles. Smoothies, leafy green salads, vegetable stews and grilled fish are all great choices. You can also boost flavor with low-calorie ingredients that
offer nutritional benefits, such as garlic, onion, spices and herbs. Some retailers today make it easy for shoppers to identify nutritious items. For example, Sam’s Club highlights healthy, organic foods with green tags. • Select Supplements: Even the best diet can fall short of nutritional guidelines. Consider consulting with your healthcare professional about boosting your diet with a daily multivitamin or supplement tailored to your individual health needs. • Verify Your Vaccinations: Immunizations can help prevent illness and save lives. Make sure you are current on all necessar y vaccinations. Talk to your pharmacist about what vaccines you might need, which varies by age.
• Enjoy Workouts: You don’t have to become a world class body builder or competitive triathlete to reap the health benefits of exercise. Exercise can help everyone boost immunity, improve cardiovascular fitness and speed up metabolism. Even just committing to a midday walk or opting to take the stairs can make a big difference. Some people find they are more likely to stick to a workout plan if they enlist friends or coworkers to join them. Many people also find it helpful to track their fitness goals and progress using wearable technology and smart scales, which can provide information on everything from your heart rate to your body mass index. Start 2017 off right by committing to better health.
Owensboro Health treats the following heart conditions: • Angina (chest pain) • Arrhythmia • Coronary Artery Disease • Heart Defects present at birth • Heart Infections • Endocarditis • Pericarditis • Heart Attack
• Heart Failure • High Blood Pressure • Valve Problems • Mitral Valve Prolapse • Mitral Valve Regurgitation • Pulmonary Valve Stenosis • Tricuspid Regurgitation
To learn more about heart health and for other wellness tools visit http://owensborohealthse3.adam. com/content.aspx?productId=139. Owensboro Health personal training will offer 14 percent off any two-person personal training package for new clients only.
JONES INSURANCE AGENCY 724 Time Dr. • Owensboro, KY
270-691-9100
jonesinsowb@yahoo.com www.joneswoolfolkins.com
AUTO-HOME-FARM-BUSINESS-LIFE-HEALTH
Messenger-Inquirer Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Love Your Heart
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Owensboro Health to offer diabetes prevention program
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oday, approximately 86 million Americans are living with pre-diabetes, yet 9 out of 10 of these adults do not know they have it because pre-diabetes often has no symptoms. Pre-diabetes is often a precursor to diabetes but it can be reversed. You can cut your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by losing 5 percent to 7 percent of your body weight and increasing your physical activity. And you don’t have to do this alone. Owensboro Health is proud to offer the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) with trained DPP coaches to help guide and encourage you. The Diabetes Prevention Program is an evidence based lifestyle change program created by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes. “I have always struggled with my weight and my blood sugar roller coaster. During the course I’ve been given practical information, received amazing support, and experienced weight loss! The classes are informative and helped me overcome the stumbling blocks I
For more information contact Amy Turley faced trying to live a healthier life.” at amy.turley@owensborohealth current DPP participant During the class you will learn simple changes for lowering your risk. Topics include: • Healthier eating and improving food choices • Increasing physical activity • Reducing stress • Staying motivated • Using strategies to maintain weight loss Classes meet once a week for an hour. After the first 16 weekly sessions, you will have at least 6 monthly follow-up sessions to help you stay motivated and maintain your healthy lifestyle. Start by attending a free informational session at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 21 at the One Health Education and Wellness Clinic located at 2401 New Har tford Road. Enter directly across from IGA on 25th street. Call 270-685-7100 to register for the free info session.
John Howard, Jr., M.D. Diplomat of the American Academy of Internal Medicine
2200 E. Parrish Ave., Acute/Urgent Bld. B, Ste. 202 Problems Seen Owensboro, KY 42303 Same Day Open daily Monday through Friday Call 926-1650 for an appointment
Specializing in adult and adolescent medicine providing a wide range of services for patient healthcare needs, including urgent and chronic care with office lab and diagnostics.
Accepting new patients Most insurance accepted
4 Love Your Heart
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer
3 ways heart disease can sneak up on you A
BY BPT
s Americans, our health is far from perfect, but over the decades, we’ve seen great improvements to medical care and lived longer lives. But new health data in a recent report might shake up our complacency: The federal government finds that life expectancy for Americans has dropped for the first time in 25 years. Though the factors are varied and complex, it has health experts and doctors taking a hard look at the current realities, including our rising obesity rate and the fact doctors may be reaching their limit on what they can do to treat heart disease. “The report, though troubling to any family doctor, can be used as the basis of a wake-up call to anyone to improve their health,” says Andrew Manganaro, MD, FACC, FACS, Chief Medical officer for Life Line Screening. “That is especially true for those who have been diagnosed with a risk factor for heart disease.” Manganaro urges patients ages 55 and older to be proactive with their heart health by scheduling regular doctor visits and following their doctor’s instructions. In addition, he recommends making regular cardiovascular screenings a part of your wellness routine. Not convinced you need a screening? These three realities of cardiovascular
health might change your mind. 1. Heart disease is often silent. Problems with the cardiovascular system can creep in gradually. Fully 80 percent - 4 out of 5 - of people who have a stroke have no symptoms beforehand. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary artery disease are often silent, partly because the warning signs are not what most people expect. Symptoms are less obvious, such as a headache, shortness of breath or pain in the jaw. Even if you are already taking steps to manage your risk factors, a screening will give you and your doctor a picture of the health of your cardiovascular system. 2. Minor conditions are easy to ignore. Even if your screening doesn’t reveal you’re at a very high risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, don’t be complacent. Because your cardiovascular system is interconnected, plaque in one artery makes it very possible that plaque will eventually show up elsewhere. For example, a diagnosis of peripheral artery disease is a condition that is associated with leg cramping, but that’s a diagnosis that should be taken as a warning. Because these leg arteries are literally narrowing, it could mean that the arteries to the brain could also narrow, creating the ideal conditions for a stoke. Likewise, if arteries to the heart were to narrow, that could lead
to heart attack or heart failure. 3. Oral health is a window to artery health. For decades, researchers have seen a connection between oral health and heart health. Back in the 1920s for example, doctors thought they could cure heart disease by extracting teeth. While the connection is not yet fully understood, we do know oral plaque has a relationship to carotid artery plaque. Manganaro encourages patients to also see their dentist regularly and take good care of their gums and teeth. The good news is you don’t need a prescription or take a trip to the doctor’s office to have preventive health screenings for cardiovascular disease. Life Line Screening performs affordable testing in community settings throughout the country. This testing will reveal where carotid artery plaque buildup is located and how much. This could translate into lifesaving treatment for you, or simply offer peace of mind. To schedule a screening call Owensboro Health Cardiology at 270-417-7500. February is American Heart Month. It was originally declared in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson to help people become aware of the many ways to improve their cardiovascular health.
Support Your & Healthyy Cholestrol
Heart
Get Heart Healthy! 3118 Alvey Park Dr. East Suite 4.
270-852-3942
Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9-6, Sat. 9-5
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Messenger-Inquirer Wednesday, February 1, 2017
The many benefits of aerobic exercise
great workout routine combines strength training and aerobic exercise. But even some ardent exercise enthusiasts may not understand just how valuable aerobic exercise is. Since most people don’t have a treadmill at home, visiting a local gym is a good way to get in a workout without breaking the bank. The Owensboro Health Healthpark is just a one of the many gym options available in town. With plenty of treadmills, weights, classes and trainers, learning to get fit and stay fit is easy. Running on the treadmill or using an elliptical machine might not be the most engaging exercises, but the benefits of aerobic exercise, often referred to as “cardio,” are undeniable. • Aerobic exercise helps people maintain healthy weights. Aerobic exercise can help men and women maintain healthy weights over the long-term. The foods people eat and the fat they store provides energy the body uses as fuel during cardiovascular exercise. The longer and more intense aerobic exercise sessions are, the more calories the body burns during those sessions. Successful weight loss programs should include routine aerobic exercise.
• Aerobic exercise lowers risk for various diseases. Aerobic exercise has been proven to lower people’s risk for various diseases, including diabetes, heart disease and depression. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, high levels of cardiovascular fitness have been linked to a 50 percent reduction in the risk for cardiovascular disease. • Aerobic exercise can improve muscle tone. Exercise enthusiasts who want their efforts in the gym to show should know that aerobic exercise can improve muscle tone and get men and women closer to the ripped appearance they might be looking for. Interval training, in which cardio routines alternate between high and moderate intensity, is a great way to burn additional fat during aerobic exercise. • Aerobic exercise can improve mood. Studies have shown that aerobic exercise improves mood. In addition to its impact on body image, aerobic exercise triggers the release of endorphins, a group of hormones that can quickly and effectively improve mood. Studies have also shown that physical activity can help the body combat anxiety and stress.
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6 Love Your Heart
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer
Keep your heart running strong into your golden years H eart health should be a concern for people of all ages, but especially so for men and women over 50. That’s because, according to the American Hear t Association, even men and women who are free of cardiovascular disease at age 50 are at a significant lifetime risk of developing the disease. But heart disease does not have to be an accepted byproduct of aging. For example, a 2014 study published in the AHA journal Circulation found that maintaining or increasing physical activity after age 65 can improve the heart’s well-being and lower risk of heart attack. Locally, gyms across Owensboro are trying to combat limited senior mobility with group fitness and wellness programs. At the Owensboro Health Healthpark, Golden Partners is a wellness program designed to help people over the age of 55 maintain body, mind and spirit through health education and social activities. At the Owensboro Family YMCA, Silver Sneakers is health and wellness program that helps senior adults with physical and social activities such as chair yoga, water aerobics, board games and potlucks. These programs help older adults with with their mind, body and spirit, which is important in living a healthy lifestyle. In addition to increasing physical activity as they age, older men and women who understand heart disease and learn to recognize its symptoms have a greater chance of minimizing its affects and lowering their risk of having a heart attack. What are the symptoms of heart disease? Hear t disease is a blanket term used to describe a host of conditions, so symptoms vary depending on each individual condition. The following are some of the more widely known conditions and their symptoms: • Hyper tension: Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension is a largely symptomless form of heart disease. The AHA notes that the idea that hyper tension produces symptoms such as difficulty sleeping, facial flushing, nervousness, and sweating is a misconception. Symptoms typically do not aler t men and women to the presence of hypertension, highlighting
the emphasis men and women should place on routine visits to the doctor’s office, where their blood pressure can be taken. • Hear t attack: The symptoms of a heart attack are different than the symptoms of heart disease that may lead to heart attack. The former can be found by visiting www.heart.org. Signs that you may be heading toward a heart attack include undue fatigue, palpitations (the sensation that your heart is skipping a beat or beating too rapidly), dyspnea (difficulty or labored breathing), chest pain or discomfor t from increased activity. • Arrhythmia: Arrhythmia means your heartbeat is irregular, and men and women often mistakenly believe arrhythmia only af flicts those who already have been diagnosed with heart disease or have had a heart attack. But arrhythmia can affect even those men and women who have healthy hearts and no histor y of cardiovascular disease. Symptoms of arrhythmia can vary greatly, from a single premature beat to a series of premature beats that occur in rapid succession. Arrhythmia that
lasts long enough to affect heart function may include symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath, and chest pain. How can I protect my heart? Hear t healthy habits take some effort, but men and women can protect their hearts regardless of their ages. • Get sufficient exercise. At least 30 minutes of exercise per day can protect against disease. • Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk for a host of ailments, including heart disease. Quitting is a great way to star t getting your hear t and other parts of your body back on track. • Include heart-healthy foods in your diet. A diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in cholesterol, salt and saturated fat promotes heart health. • Don’t drink alcohol to excess. Like smoking, drinking alcohol to excess can lead to a host of problems, such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia and high cholesterol, each of which increases your risk of heart disease. • Lose weight. Being overweight or obese is a major risk factor for heart
disease. If you have already started to exercise daily and eat a more hearthealthy diet, then you’re on your way to losing weight. Consult your physician if diet and exercise don’t seem to be helping you to shed pounds. Heart disease kills millions of people across the globe each year, many of whom are over 50. But men and women who learn about heart disease and how to reduce their risk stand a far greater chance of fighting the disease.
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Phone 683-6427 Lic. #MO1723
1911 Old Henderson Road One Block South of 9th & Crabtree
Messenger-Inquirer Wednesday, February 1, 2017
Love Your Heart
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How women can combat high cholesterol
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igh cholesterol can dramatically High LDL cholesterol levels do af fect a person’s long-ter m not mean women will automatically h e a l t h . A c c o r d i n g t o t h e develop heart disease, but women who Centers for Disease Control and receive such a diagnosis should take Prevention, people with high total the following steps to lower their LDL cholesterol have approximately twice levels so they can live longer, healthier the risk of developing heart disease lives. as people whose cholesterol levels • Eat right. Avoid foods that are are ideal. And contrary to what many high in fat, especially saturated fats people may think, women are no less and trans fats. The AHA notes that susceptible to high cholesterol than foods that contain saturated fats conmen. tribute to high levels of LDL. Fatty Cholesterol can be a confusing beef, lamb, pork, poultr y with skin, topic. Though cholesterol has a bad lard and cream, butter, and cheese are reputation, that stature can be some- just a few of the foods that contain satwhat misleading. That’s because there urated fats. Those foods all come from are two types of cholesterol, one of animal sources, but many baked goods which actually reduces a person’s risk and fried foods are also high in satufor hear t disease and stroke. High- rated fat and should be avoided. Fruits, density lipoprotein, often vegetables and whole r efer r ed to as “HDL” Cholesterol can be a grains are hear t-healthy or “good” cholesterol, foods that can help women absorbs low-density lipo- confusing topic. lower their LDL levels and protein, or “bad” choles- Though cholesterol reduce their risk for carterol, or “LDL,” and car- has a bad diovascular disease. ries it back to the liver, • Exercise regularly. reputation, that which then flushes it from Routine physical activthe body. HDL accounts stature can be ity can help women lower f o r a m i n o r i t y o f t h e somewhat their LDL levels, especialbody’s cholesterol. Unfor- misleading. That’s ly when such exercise is tunately, the majority of combined with a healthy cholesterol in the body is because there are diet. The Office on WomLDL, high levels of which two types of en’s Health recommends can contribute to plaque cholesterol, one of women get two hours and buildup in the ar teries, which actually 30 minutes of moderateincreasing a person’s intensity aerobic activrisk for heart disease and reduces a person’s ity each week, or one hour risk for heart stroke. and 15 minutes of vigorA 2015 report from the disease and stroke. ous-intensity aerobic activAmerican Hear t Associaity each week. Speak with tion indicated that more your physician to lear n than 73 million American adults have which exercises are most appropriate high LDL cholesterol. The 2013 Cana- for someone in your condition. Women dian Health Measures Sur vey found who want to do more than aerobic that, between 2009 and 2011, the activity can still meet their exercise number of Canadians with unhealthy requirements by combining moderate levels of LDL increased significantly and vigorous cardiovascular exercise with age, with 40 percent of men and with muscle-strengthening activities women between the ages of 40 and 59 two or more days per week. suffering from unhealthy LDL levels. • Quit smoking. Smoking can accelWomen may think that the pres- erate the damage already being done ence of the female sex hormone estro- by high cholesterol. While research gen can positively impact their choles- does not indicate that smoking directterol levels. While estrogen tends to ly impacts LDL levels, the toxins proraise HDL levels, its presence alone duced and inhaled from cigarettes can does not mean women are out of the modify existing LDL, making it more woods with regard to cardiovascular likely to cause inflammation. disease, including heart disease and Cholesterol does not discriminate, stroke. In fact, the CDC notes that and women need to be just as mindful hear t disease remains the leading as men when monitoring their total cause of death among women. cholesterol levels.
This Valentine’s Day Give The Person You Love The Gift Of Heart Health!
Owensboro Heart & Vascular measures Coronary Calcium, which measures coronary plaque burden for early detection of coronary artery disease (CAD).
Owensboro Heart & Vascular
270.683.8672 www.drvora.com
8 Love Your Heart
Wednesday, February 1, 2017 Messenger-Inquirer