FEBRUARY: Nurturing the Heart

Saturday, February 1st, 2020

I received an email from the senior center where I go for tai chi and other events and it was entitled Nurture Your Heart. I asked if I could borrow the title and received a YES. I changed it slightly to Nurturing the Heart, but the meaning is the same for me, that is, the heart needs to be cared for both physically and emotionally. And since February is American Heart Month as well as Valentine’s Day (no coincidence!), the title fits both aspects.

Here are the top three causes of death in  the US. The link is for the Top 10 in case you want to read further:

  • Heart disease: Age-adjusted rate: 167.0 Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S.
  • Cancer: Age-adjusted rate: 161.2 Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the U.S.
  • Chronic lower respiratory disease: Age-adjusted rate: 40.5 CLRD is the third leading cause.

Here is another group of facts that I thought to be interesting, since it focuses on women:

  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing 299,578 women in 2017—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths.2
  • Heart disease is the leading cause of death for African American and white women in the United States. Among American Indian and Alaska Native women, heart disease and cancer cause roughly the same number of deaths each year. For Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander women, heart disease is second only to cancer as a cause of death.3
  • About 1 in 16 women age 20 and older (6.2%) have coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease:4
    • About 1 in 16 white women (6.1%), black women (6.5%), and Hispanic women (6%)
    • About 1 in 30 Asian women (3.2%)
I cannot make the map large enough to show the statistics large enough, so please go to the website above for that info.             https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/women.htm
Finally, there is a correlation between Menopause and Heart Disease that I will reading about and sharing. Here’s a  quote that may spark your interest if you are experiencing menopause or are pre- or post-menopausal:
Many women think that heart disease is a man’s disease. It isn’t. Heart disease is the number one killer of women. In fact, after age 50, nearly half of all deaths in women are due to some form of cardiovascular disease. https://www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-heart-disease#1
I plan to do more research on this specific topic of menopause and heart disease and show in part,  the importance of a heart-healthy diet and moderate  exercise. In the meantime, feel free to explore the rest of the information on these links.
The other half of Nurturing Your Heart is the emotional end and that’s where Valentine’s Day comes in.  While that day is generally reserved for sending cards to sweethearts, I like to think that we can use this holiday to send love to everyone! More on that at mid-month.
Also, this month I will feature at least two book reviews: Paleo in a Nutshell by Geoff Bond and Paleo Harvest by Nicole Bond (husband and wife). Hopefully, like me, you will experience the Bond Effect!
Have a L♥vely, Healthy February!
Thanx for reading me! ellensue

 

Posted in Health Matters: Flashes & Reports, Home Page, Kitchen Nutrition | 1 Comment »

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