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| Love your heart |
By: SUZANNE ROOK, Managing Editor
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Posted: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 10:17 pm
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February, a month known for sugary candies, roses and sappy poetry, is also the time to pay attention your heart.
But unlike silly grocery store valentines, the American Heart Association wants Americans to take heart health seriously. Cardiovascular disease, including stroke, is the nation and the Minnesota’s No. 1 killer. In 2007, almost 29 percent of the state’s deaths — 10,656 — were attributed to cardiovascular diseases, which include coronary artery disease, angina, heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure.
In Rice County, they were the cause of almost 32 percent of deaths that same year, according to American Heart Association figures.
Those numbers could — and should — be lower, say area doctors Katie Helgen and Randy Reister, both with Northfield FamilyHealth Medical Clinic. And getting them there isn’t difficult, they say.
By getting regular checkups, eating right and exercising for a few minutes every day, the doctors say, the risk of cardiovascular disease can be lowered significantly.
Symptoms of heart disease — high blood pressure and cholesterol and the early stages of diabetes — can often go unnoticed, said Helgen, making sufferers unaware of issues until serious damage has been done. That’s where checking your numbers comes in, she said.
In 2007, 21 percent of adult Minnesotans reported having high blood pressure; 32 percent said they had high cholesterol, according to the Department of Health. In 2008, the department estimated almost 6 percent of the state’s adults have diabetes with one third of that number unaware their status.
High blood pressure and cholesterol levels can be easily checked and treated with modifications in diet and, if needed, medication, said Helgen. Other factors contributing to heart disease include obesity and inactivity, said Helgen, noting that Americans, on average, have become increasingly overweight and sedentary. An estimated 62 percent of Minnesotans are overweight, according to the department of health.
While Minnesotans are generally in good health, Reister said he often sees patients who rationalize their unwise lifestyles. For those who say they can’t exercise 20 minutes a day because the weather is bad, Reister encourages them to join a gym, noting that a few visits a month pays for the membership. Some employers even reimburse all or a portion of the fees, he said.
For those who don’t want to go public, Reister suggests buying a treadmill. And for the cost-conscious, the doctor tells patients to try walking in the mall. Find a friend to join you, he says, adding that a companion can be a great motivator and keep you on track.
Injuries or recurring pain is another common excuse for not exercising, said Reister, who is quick to suggest low-impact exercises such as yoga or walking in a pool.
“I’ve met very few patients in my career that have started an exercise regimen that haven’t enjoyed it,” he said.
“An ounce of prevention is,” he said, emphasizing the verb, “worth a pound of cure.”
— Suzanne Rook is the managing editor. She can be reached at srook@northfieldnews.com or 645-1113.
Seven ways to keep your heart healthy:
•Get active — a little as 30 minutes a day can reduce the risk of heart disease
•Control cholesterol — eat foods low in cholesterol and saturated fat and free of trans fat
•Eat better — eat fruits, vegetables, whole-grain grain foods, and twice a week, fish
•Manage blood pressure — high blood pressure puts stress on arteries, creating microscopic tears
•Lose weight — 145 million Americans 20 and older are overweight or obese
•Reduce blood sugar — adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease or a stroke as those without diabetes
•Stop smoking — Smoking decreases tolerance for physical activity and increases the tendency for blood to clot
— American Heart Association
CHECK YOUR NUMBERS
Northfield FamilyHealth Medical Clinic hosts a free screening to check blood pressure, cholesterol and Body Mass Index, which measures a person’s body fat.
WHEN: Monday, Feb. 15 and Thursday, Feb. 18 from 6:30 to 9 a.m.
WHERE: Northfield FamilyHealth clinic next to Northfield Hospital
HOW: Appointments are needed. Call 646-1494. Non-patients will be given copies of their readings to take to their doctor for further evaluation.
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