February is Heart Health month and I am a poster child for heart disease. I had a “mild” heart attack in 2017 and had an emergency procedure to put in a stent. A stent is a tiny, metal mesh tube that is placed with a catheter and permanently embedded within the artery wall to prop open and prevent it from collapsing. I was lucky, as I got to the hospital in time and had a terrific surgeon who literally saved my life, so thank you Dr. Pelikan! Some of my heart issues stem from genetics, as my Dad and my paternal grandmother both had heart problems. My dad had open heart surgery when it was still a new procedure, and when I saw him right after surgery, the first thing he said to me was “breathing is good!” Yes, breathing is good and women need to be especially prudent as heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing 314,186 women in 2020—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths. But it is very important for both women and men to invest in heart-healthy habits and activities. According to CDC.gov there are some factors that impact heart health that are beyond a person’s control, such as age and ethnicity, and in my case, genetics, but there are several lifestyle choices that are controllable. According to health experts, maintaining heart health by addressing lifestyle factors can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease. Things you can do to improve heart health are diet, exercise, sleep, watching your blood pressure and reducing stress and more. Courtney gives us some important info on how to maintain a healthy heart. GO TO: www.heart.org for more info.
To get more info, follow Courtney on her Facebook page Courtney on Health, on Instagram and TikTok @clgwellnes and visit her website: courtneygravenese.com. Check out her podcast, and for past shows go to malcolmpresents.com and themanyshadesofgreen.com