Hearts

Update:  Thank you, each and every one of you, who have offered prayers and words of support and encouragement for me and for my family.  My uncle came through surgery with flying colors and is at home recuperating with family.  He has a long, long road to full recovery ahead of him, but due to his excellent health going into surgery, his prognosis is very good.  [My uncle has always had high blood pressure but low cholesterol.  He is a healthy eater, doesn't smoke, and may indulge in the occasional adult beverage.  He's been in his fair share of triathalons, and he takes spin classes five days a week.  This is why the sudden "walking time bomb" prognosis from the cardiologist was so difficult to comprehend.]

Since 1963, Congress has required the president to proclaim February as American Heart Month, since, you know, Valentine's Day (MY BIRTHDAY!) falls on the 14th.  As such, and since it directly relates to my previous post, I'm going to give you some interesting, and hopefully not too snooze-worthy, heart health tips.  Just humor me and go with it, ok?  Thanks!

• Floss daily!  Flossing can add up to five years to the average person's life expectancy.
• People that suffer from gum disease are twice as likely to have a stroke or heart attack.
• Stay hydrated – staying properly hydrated helps you feel (and look) better and water is a great alternative to high-calorie, sugar-sweetened drinks. Treat yourself to a fun new water bottle to encourage the habit – if it’s always handy, you’re more likely to drink up.
• Make a change – pick one small thing you can change about your daily diet – start buying skim milk, order the nonfat latte, skip the afternoon vending machine visit or add an extra veggie to your dinner plate.
• Try something new – dare yourself to try a new fruit or vegetable. Next time you’re at the store pick up something you’ve never made before. Many grocery stores have free recipe cards in the produce section or just type the food into your favorite search engine.
• Cooking at home is an excellent way to control the quality and amounts of what you eat. Take a date to a local cooking class to practice your skills or learn a new technique.
• Every cigarette smoked cuts at least five minutes of life on average, which is roughly the time it takes to smoke one cigarette.
• Your heart beats over 100,000 times a day.

The facts were compiled from the Google and the American Heart Association.