Heart Month--February

February is Heart Month--what do we know about heart attack?

What is a heart attack (myocardial infarction)?  A person experiences a heart attack when the blood supply to the heart itself is blocked and inadequate.  Just as we have arteries and veins carrying blood to all parts of our body, we have coronary arteries which carry blood to the heart muscle and veins which carry blood away from the heart muscle back into our body circulation.  When the blood supply to the heart muscle is inadequate, a heart attack occurs. 

What are symptoms of a heart attack?  Classic symptoms include 

·       Chest discomfort (discomfort like an elephant is sitting on your chest) which might be described as pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.  This discomfort can last awhile or it can go away and come back.

·       Pain that radiates up into the neck, arms (one or both), jaw, stomach, back. 

·       Being short of breath, whether you are exercising or not (especially if not exercising)

·       A cold sweat, nausea and being dizzy or lightheaded

http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/911-Warnings-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_305346_SubHomePage.jsp

Anyone can experience the classic symptoms of a heart attack, but often women experience the more subtle symptoms of a heart attack such as fatigue, being short of breath, nausea, jaw or back pain.  The American Heart Association talks about women’s subtle symptoms of heart attack on their Go Red for Women website at https://www.goredforwomen.org/about-heart-disease/symptoms_of_heart_disease_in_women/hard-to-recognize-heart-attack-symptoms/

What should you do if you experience any of these symptoms of heart attack.  Call 9-1-1 for emergency care.  Do not try to drive yourself to your doctor or local emergency room.  If you should pass out from your symptoms, you might hurt yourself and others so be smart and call 9-1-1 for emergency services. 

Introvert or Extrovert?

One thing I noticed during our Minnesota time together is the peaceful haven Kim and her husband have created.

Do you have a peaceful place?  Do you need one?  We talked one day about ‘are you an introvert or an extrovert?’  Kim shared that these two terms can be defined by answering a question, ‘do you gain new energy when you have quiet time alone (an introvert) OR do you gain new energy from being with other people in a social setting (an extrovert)?’   Good question.  We gain insight when we consider our answer to this question.

I personally need quiet times and a peaceful place to recharge.  Some people are the opposite; they thrive in a social setting and gain energy from interacting with others.  What do you need?  Consider what you need and add it to your life, thereby improving your health and wellbeing. 

Value of Laughter #3

Humor helps us keep our balance in life.  “Being out of balance can lead to both mental and physical illness…Once we find some comedy in our chaos, we are no longer caught up in it, and our problems become less of a burden…When we can laugh through our tears, we are being given a powerful message.  Things may be bad, but they cannot be all that bad.”  (Klein, A, The Healing Power of Humor, pg 16)

Humor/laughter gives us social benefits:  when we laugh together, our relationship with those persons becomes stronger.  Laughter helps decrease conflict and builds team spirit.  A smile and laugh makes us more approachable and more attractive to others. 

We need a purpose for each day

Do you have a purpose to your day?  Young people want to win the lottery so they can quit working.  Middle to older aged people yearn for retirement days.  But if you no longer had to work, would you have a purpose in your day?  Did you know that a purpose (working) is good for your body and mind?  According to Dr Mehmet Oz, in the May/June 2011 AARP The Magazine, having a purpose for your day is good for your body and mind.  

We’ve all seen it; someone we know retires, becomes ill and dies.  We shake our heads and say what a shame that he died so young and so soon after he retired. According to Dr Oz, early retirement without a purpose to life is bad for us, especially our brains.  We benefit from social interaction and the required brain work that our jobs require.  Hmmm.  

For retirees or soon-to-be retirees, what can you do to promote your health and well being? Identify activities you enjoy and which will keep you involved socially, physically and mentally and pursue those activities.  Make the best choice you can for your health and wellbeing:  put pleasure and purpose into each day.