Celebrate World Heart Day – September 29, 2015

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Celebrate World Heart Day

World Heart Day, celebrated on September 29, helps raise awareness about cardiovascular disease (CVD) across the globe.  Did you know that CVD leads to 17.3 million deaths a year? The statistics are alarming, but there are some simple things you can do to be heart healthy.

Fun Facts 

  • It is a myth that CVD mostly affects affluent, male, older populations – it can affect all ages and population groups, including women and children.
  • There are 1,000,000 number of babies born each year worldwide with acongenital heart defect.
  • Worldwide, one in 10 school children are estimated to be overweight, a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
  • After stopping smoking for 15 years, the risk of heart attack falls to the same level that it would be for someone who has never smoked.
  • 600,000 – number of non-smokers, including children, are killed each year from exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke. Half of the world’s children regularly breathe air polluted by tobacco smoke. Smoking causes 10% of CVD.
  • Heart disease causes 1 in 3 female deaths each year.

Quick Tips on Making Healthy Heart Choices

  • Take public transportation, bike to work or take the stairs whenever possible!
  • Reduce your portion sizes of less healthy food and increase the portion size of healthy food.
  • Do your house chores!
  • Say NO to tobacco!

Spotlight on Women’s Health

Spotlight on Women’s Health

Baudry Therapy Center/ BRIO shines a spotlight on women’s health. Here are some fun facts regarding women’s overall health, as well as a few tips to help women maintain a life full of BRIO!

Women’s Health Facts 

  • Women with a higher degree of abdominal obesity are especially susceptible to type 2 diabetes, and diabetic women have disproportionally higher relative risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) than diabetic men.[1]
  • According to the most recent data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), [1] 20.2% of men (19.6 million) and 19.4% of women (19.2 million) were clinically obese (body mass index [BMI] _30 kg/m2 ), and 6.5% of men (6.3 million) and 8.2% of women (8.7 million) reported having diagnosed diabetes. [1]
  • In 2014, 39% of adults aged 18 years and over (40% of women and 38% of men) were overweight. [2]
  • Abdominal obesity rates are highest in individuals ages 60 years and older, and are higher in women than men at all ages. [3]

Tips & Tricks for Women [4] [5]

  • Eat healthy: eat fruits, vegetables, whole grains & limit foods and drinks high in calories, sugar, salt, fat and alcohol.
  • Be active: be active and maintain weight, reduce high blood pressure, diabetes, risk of heart disease and more!
  • Protect yourself and your family: wear helmets, seat belts, wash your hands and always be ready for emergencies!
  • Manage stress & pay attention to mental health: balance work, home and play, take time to relax, support your family and friends and get 7-9 hours of sleep each night!
  • Get check-ups: ask your doctor how you can stay healthy and get the proper exams, tests and shots you need!

Resources:

[1] Overweight and Obesity in women: Health Risks and Consequences. http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/452831
[2] WHO http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs311/en/
[3] Part D. Chapter 1: food and Nutrient Intakes, and Health: Current Status and Trends. Previously on http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015-scientific-report/06-chapter-1/d1-5.asp but that page has been removed
[3] Tips for a Safe and Healthy Life. http://www.cdc.gov/family/tips/
[4] Women’s Health. http://womenshealth.gov/nwhw/about/