Au Revior!

Hello bloggers!

Happy Monday! Today is the LAST day of February, so it's your last blog entry for the month! I'd like to take a quick second to thank the jewelry contest entrants, to thank the Wear Red day businesses, and our donors, and to fill you in a little continuation of the project blog!

Congratulations to our jewelry contest winners, who will receive a piece of Micah Marie Jewelry! Here's what they have committed to:

• I make my hubby get his teeth cleaned, and we’re working on getting him to quit chewing
• I am exercising more often!
• I'm committing to walking my dog
• I am...cutting down on portions at meal times; cutting down on alcohol intake; when feeling stressed I pay attention to my breathing and slow it down and take deeper breaths (you can also do mini-relaxation sessions); I walk to work and the grocery store as often as I can; I've really cut back on soda intake and have replaced both a soda and alcohol drink with a 12oz glass of water
• I am walking 2 miles at least 3 times a week on my tread mill
• I am maintaining a high level of oral health and committing to floss more often
• I am limiting my chocolate intake to appropriate portions of dark chocolate
• I am (once spring comes) spending more time exercising in the out-of-doors on a regular basis
• I am increasing the amount of vegetables my family has access to by buying the pre-packaged veggie trays or packages of ready to eat fresh veggies.  I never seem to get bulk vegetables cleaned and ready for the family to eat before they are past their prime, so even though it initially costs more, it is ultimately better for my family and less wasteful in terms of spoiled food thrown to my chickens.
• I manage my diabetes
• I make time to spend with a friend each week to share in a hobby we both enjoy. Good for both our hearts!

Thanks to everyone who entered! Winners, enjoy your prizes!

I would like to thank the following businesses and organizations for celebrating their wear red days this month!

Richland County Extension Office

MonDak Heritage Center

Pamida Pharmacy

Sidney Job Service

Sidney Herald

1st Choice Collision

Boys & Girls Club

Richland Federal Credit Union

Richland Opportunities, Inc.

M + M Cafe

Farm Bureau Financial Services

Sidney Health Center

Richland County Health Department

Jock Stop

Quilts & More

Savage Seniors Center

Fairview Seniors Center

And I'd like to thank the following donors for supporting the Sidney Health Center Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center! In total, we raised $300!

NAPA Auto Parts

Heidi and Jay Moran

Reynold's Market

Quilts & More

Judy and Warren Johnson

Chad's Furniture

And I'd like to thank the following few people who have supported the program in other ways!

Jessica Pica

Kathy Helmuth

Justin Nuveman

Jay Witte

Yellowstone Marketplace

Sidney Public Library

Lesley Theissen

Julie Sokoloski

The Lachapelle Family

Nicole Bollerman

Emily McCoomb

Bobbi Jo Hackmann and the Richland County Ambulance Service

Idelle Badt

Sidney High School

Josh King

Montana Cardiovascular Health Program

WomenHeart

Kristan Haugen

Heather Nevins

Micah Marie Jewelry

Sidney Herald

Heidi Moran and Rebecca Miller

Maurice's, Williston, ND

Ellen Forde

Jock Stop

Thanks everyone!

Since I know you're really sad to see me go, I wanted to let you know that I'd be continuing my blogging with a What's on Wednesday blog that will include stories and updates on health-related things in Richland County! Keep your eyes peeled for the weblink soon!

And keep your eyes peeled for an update on the IronHeart Duathlon, where we will be announcing the winners of the two tickets on Great Lakes Airlines, and the winners of some great medals and trophies!

Thanks everyone for your support!

From my heart to yours,

Red in Richland County

A new addition to the family!

Happy Sunday bloggers!

This weekend we got a new addition to the family after I stopped at WalMart and picked up a fan-tail goldfish I named Puck. We're not allowed to have pets at my house, so I figured this was my way to enjoy a pet without it making a mess in the house.

So speaking of having a pet, research shows that pets can help reduce stress and lower blood pressure in their owners, so if you're concerned about developing a cardiovascular disease, or you're just plain stressed to the max, adopt (or just play with someone else's) a pet. According to biologist Erika Friedmann, a professor at the University of Maryland School of Nursing, "It's providing a focus of attention that's outside of someone's self. They're actually letting you focus on them rather than focusing inward on yourself all the time."

Having a pet will also force you off the couch because they actually require work. Dogs require walks or at least some play time, so you're likely to burn some calories while caring for your pets. They always say, if your dog is fat, you aren't getting enough exercise!

Can't have pets? Don't have the time to devote to caring for an animal? Borrow someone else's! You'll still get the same stress-relieving benefits, and who doesn't love playing with a pup? If you're thinking about adopting a pet into your family but aren't sure if it's right for you, first try getting a plant or a fish- something you won't feel THAT bad about if it dies (eek!), and if you can keep that alive, you're golden. You can also try being a foster family for pound pups, if you think you can handle giving the animal up at the end of your foster family cycle.

For now, I am enjoying spending quality time with my fish. On to other animals later.

From my heart to yours,
Red

Part two!

Hey bloggers,

If you’ve already been diagnosed with any type of diabetes or blood sugar disorder, you’re probably
super busy managing your current condition, and you probably haven’t put much thought into
preventing other conditions. I don’t blame you at all. But, you are also probably well on your way to
preventing other conditions like cardiovascular disease by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. As we learned
yesterday, avoiding smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying active will help you fend off
cardiovascular disease and will help you maintain a healthy blood sugar. Here are a few additional tips
to add to your daily routine:

If I don’t sound like a broken record yet…

Watch your blood pressure. Some really easy tricks are to switch from salt, which we know increases
blood pressure, to something lower in sodium like Mrs. Dash’s products, which should season your
foods without adding tons of extra sodium.

Watch your cholesterol. Having diabetes makes you more likely to develop a cardiovascular disease
because your body can’t regulate your ratio of good and bad cholestertol. The cholesterol starts to build
up in your arteries, and BAM! You’re in trouble. So watch your fat and cholesterol intake as well as your
carb and sugar intake. If you’re looking for heart healthy, diabetes friendly recipes, try the American
Heart Association.

Don’t let any of it get you down. You may be feeling overwhelmed dealing with two (or the potential for
two) chronic conditions, but you aren’t alone, and it certainly is manageable. Find a healthy way to deal
with your stress (because stressing out about it will make it worse!) and focus on the things you CAN do
to improve your health, rather than everyone you perceive as wrong with your health. All you have to
do is make sure you watch your levels, eat right, and exercise and you are well on your way to the clear!

From my heart to yours,
Red

P.S. Today is the LAST day to enter the Micah Marie Jewelry raffle! Don't miss this one!

It's not just about your heart!

TGIF Bloggers,

As promised bloggers, here is a two-day special on diabetes and cardiovascular disease, and your chance to win Micah Marie Jewelry!

I know what you’re thinking- why is she blabbing about diabetes when this blog is about heart disease?

Trust me.

Diabetes and cardiovascular disease have a LOT in common- mostly several of the same risk factors, but diabetes is actually one of the leading causes of heart disease. If you’ve survived a heart attack or stroke, having diabetes makes you more likely to have even more complications. 

What is diabetes?

Having diabetes means that your body has a problem with the way it uses food for energy. When you something- let’s revisit the pickle from our salt discussion- it gets broken down into components, one of them being glucose. Glucose is a type of sugar in your blood stream and is the main source of energy for your body. In order for your body to use glucose, a substance called insulin has to be present. Insulin is produced by your pancreas, a gland behind your stomach. In people with diabetes, three things can go wrong with your pancreas.

• 1.       Your pancreas produces little or no insulin, so you have trouble using the glucose in your blood stream. This is known as Type 1 diabetes.
• 2.       Your body doesn’t know how to use the insulin that your pancreas produces, so again, you have trouble using glucose. This is known as Type 2 diabetes.
• 3.       Both of these things. This is typically Type 2 diabetes.

In any case, when you have diabetes, you have an unusually large amount of glucose floating in your blood stream that your cells can’t use. 

So what does that have to do with my cardiovascular health?

Having a ton of extra glucose in your blood stream does damage to your blood vessels by increasing the amount of plaque that sticks to your artery walls. All of that glucose floating in your blood stream is eventually turned into some kind of fat. Also, there is some evidence that the high levels of glucose may also damage the cells on the walls of your arteries as well (I’ve saved you from a LOT of science, but check out this article if you’re really interested). Diabetes leads to narrowed arteries (due to plaque build-up), nerve damage, and decreased blood flow. 

What do diabetes and cardiovascular disease have in common?

These risk factors:

Having obesity. Or wiggle. Or badonk. Whatever you want to call it. Having central obesity (the kind where you carry most of your extra wiggle in your midsection, not your badonk or hips) increases your risk. Chances are that you got your central obesity from a poor diet and lack of exercise- the extra food intake and lack of energy usage makes your pancreas work harder.

Having high cholesterol: This means that you probably already have some plaque build-up in your arteries.

Having high blood pressure: High blood pressure puts extra strain on the heart and vessels, causing damage that will be made worse by the extra glucose in your system. High blood pressure will make you more likely to experience a heart attack, stroke, eye problems, and kidney problems. 

Smoking: Other than the obvious damage that smoking does to your system, it will further narrow your blood vessels, and damage the vessels in your legs, increasing your risk of amputation due to poor circulation. 

Check back tomorrow for the final installment of your diabetes and cardiovascular disease course!

Have a fantastic Friday!

Don't forget to e-mail me at slachapelle@richland.org to enter our Micah Marie Jewelry contest! Just tell me what you are going to do to prevent heart disease in your life and you'll be entered!

From my heart to yours,

Red

Check it

Hey bloggers,

I just gave a presentation to Lower Yellowstone REA about cardiovascular disease along with my cancer prevention, tobacco prevention, and nutrition and physical activity colleagues. It went well, but it dawned on me that I constantly talk about reducing your risk, but I never really told you how to determine your risk! Here are two resources you can use to determine if you are heart healthy, and what you should do to get heart healthy!

The first is My Life Check. This is a type of heart health survey you fill out that will determine what areas you are heart healthy in, and what areas need work. They ask you questions about your eating habits, physical activity, cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, blood sugar and your smoking habits. You don't have to have all the examples- I didn't know about my blood sugar and my cholesterol. It'll just suggest that you talk to your doctor about it. It kicks back a short list of things you can do to either get or stay heart healthy, and what your goal should be. My area that needs work? My diet. There's no surprise there! I'm a super picky eater and I cover everything with salt. I'm working on it! You can even save and print your survey results so you can keep track of your goals and progress.

The second is something just as important as knowing your personal risk. It's My Family Health Tree. This is a little family tree you can fill out to figure out how many relatives have certain health conditions like heart disease. Having a blood relative with one of these conditions means that you are at risk of developing these conditions too! It was scary to see just how many of my relatives suffered from cardiovascular conditions! Eek! If this doesn't motivate you to live a heart healthy lifestyle, I don't know what will!

That's all for now, I suppose. Before I go, I just want to remind you to e-mail me your heart health commitments to be entered into the Micah Marie Jewelry raffle! I would also like to thank the Richland County Extension Office for celebrating their Wear Red day yesterday!

From my heart to yours,

Red in Richland County

Now What? Part two- Moving on

Hey R.C.,

Today is part two of your two-day 'Moving On' blog special!

I wanted to fill you in on one of the books we recently added to the Sidney Public Library. I made sure that when we picked the materials for the library resource that it included something about moving on from a cardiac episode, because this is potentially even scarier than the actual episode. 

I've talk to a few people who have been caregivers or lived through a cardiac episode, and here is what they had to say:

"When he came home all he wanted to do was sit in the rocking chair watching TV and waiting to die.   Every time he had indigestion  he made me call rescue cause he thought he was having another heart attack.   He was hospitalized 14 times in 15 months for cardiac related issues, one was another heart attack....I spent almost two years watching him sleep cause I was afraid if I went to sleep he would stop breathing...If I dared go anywhere and heard sirens I would rush home cause I was sure it was MY house."

"Since the surgery, I have worked hard at restoring my health: following my doctor's orders, eating nutritional foods, taking supplements and exercising. Despite my efforts, I have not made much progress. I am depressed about my state of affairs and panicked about my future.” (borrowed from WomenHeart)

This excerpt show just how scary it is to live past a cardiac episode, but the end result is a blessing:

"Dad  remembers to take his medications  and eats healthy and exercises regularly that he is still with us 16 years later, despite having been given only 6 months to live."   

“After 14 angioplasties, five stents and two quadruple bypass surgeries, I have gone through the frustrations, depressions and fears of serious heart problems. I even go through periods of denial, but I also meditate, do Tai Chi, and generally have a positive view of life. I am aware that there have been many changes and new directions in my life but I am very happy for each moment, laugh and hug that comes into my life. I am actively involved in living even though how I live has changed.” (borrowed from WomenHeart)

"I had a 1% chance of survival after surgery, but I came through and I'm doing great. The depression following the surgery is terrible, but it does go away and all the pain is worth every day I have afterwards. I call my scar my "life line" to a new and wonderful life.” (borrowed from WomenHeart)

One of the books, called "Back to Life After a Heart Crisis: A Doctor and His Wife Share Their 8-Step Cardiac Comeback Plan" by Marc Wallack, MD, and his wife, Jamie Colby, teaches how to conquer your fear of living, how to get through sleepless nights, answers the questions you're afraid to ask, and gives helpful information for coping as a caregiver.

Need more information on coping after an episode or being a caregiver? Check out the Sidney Public Library or visit the American Heart Association. 

From my heart to yours,

Red

Now what?

Welcome back to your work week!

Since we've touched on the signs of different cardiac events, we come to the part that nobody ever really tells you about. Now that you or your loved one has suffered an event, what happens? What now? How do you move on from this experience?

I'm thinking this will be a two-day special, but we will see!

Firstly, after you're stable and sent home from the hospital, you're going to get a whopping ton of paperwork, most of which makes no sense and tells you that you basically can't eat anything except lettuce and you certainly can't lift more than the remote for at least several days or weeks. It's a really scary time, but hang in there- things will clear up. 

The first thing you can do is get on a heart health website like the American Heart Association or WomenHeart (a site geared toward women, but still a great resource for everyone) and read their information about your condition. These sites tend to put things into terms you can understand. The key to moving on from the episode is to learn what you should do to recover, and how you can change your lifestyle to get heart healthy. If there is something you don't understand, ASK- that's why your doctor is a doctor- his/her job is to answer your questions. Don't ever feel bad about being vastly confused, you are not alone!

Something I definitely wanted to touch on here is cardiac rehabilitation. You've heard of sports rehab (or drug rehab) I'm sure, and cardiac rehab is kind of similar- it's a professionally supervised program to help you recover from cardiac events and surgeries. The program will help you integrate exercise into your lifestyle to reduce cardiac symptoms and reduce your risk of a repeat episode. Rehab will start with an evaluation of your current condition and your limitations, and they will come up with an activity regimen tailored to your needs. It'll start slow and pick up as you make progress. They will help you understand your condition and how to successfully manage it.

Once you're done with rehab, your task is to integrate what you learned into your daily life. Follow your diet and exercise plan, reduce and learn to cope with stress in your life, and make sure you are able to recognize the symptoms of a cardiac episode should one happen again.

Keep checking back for more information on living with a heart condition!

And don't forget to enter our jewelry raffle- just e-mail me at slachapelle@richland.org and tell me how YOU are committing to fight heart disease in your life and you'll be entered to win!

From my heart to yours,

Red in Richland County