Wellness Wednesday: Putting Heart Health First

Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic

February is American Heart Month, a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. While Americans of all backgrounds can be at risk for heart disease, African American men are disproportionately affected more by heart disease than other races or ethnicities. Additionally, more than 40 percent of African Americans have high blood pressure, a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.

Million Hearts®, a national initiative to prevent one million heart attacks and strokes by 2017, is encouraging African American men to take charge of their health and start one new, heart-healthy behavior that can help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

Small Changes Can Make a Big Difference

African American men can make a big difference in their heart health by…

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Wellness Wednesday: Better Sleep Could Mean a Healthier Heart

Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic

Exercise and eating nutritious foods aren’t the only things that can help increase heart health; sleep is also a factor.

The better night’s sleep you get, the healthier your heart will be. According to a 2011 study by the American Heart Association, poor sleep quality is linked to an increased risk of high blood pressure, a potential cause of heart disease.

“Our study shows for the first time that poor quality sleep puts individuals at significantly increased risk of developing high blood pressure,” said Susan Redline, M.D., the study’s co-author, in a statement.

Recommended amount of sleep

So how much sleep is the right amount? Lundberg is hesitant to put an exact number on it. She says it varies from person to person, but that most people need seven hours per night. When we are young, we need more than that. As we grow older, we may need…

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Wellness Wednesday: The Facts About Women and Heart Disease

Wellness Wednesday

Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic

Do you know what causes heart disease in women? What the survival rate is? Or whether women of all ethnicities share the same risk?

The fact is: Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year. That’s approximately one woman every minute!

But it doesn’t affect all women alike, and the warning signs for women aren’t the same in men. There are a several myths and misconceptions about heart disease in women, and they could be putting you at risk.

Myth: Heart disease is for men, and cancer is the real threat for women

Fact: Heart disease is a killer that strikes more women than men, and is more deadly than all forms of cancer combined. While 1 in 31 American women dies from breast cancer each year, heart disease claims the lives of 1 in 3. That’s roughly one death each minute.

Myth:…

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