NEW POST!

I've put a new post on my blog's new web home, but just in case you haven't found me yet, here's the link: www.mylifeinred.net.

If you have been following here for the last year, thank you! I hope you decide to join me again. Just find the "Subscribe via email" link on the bottom right. It is fast and easy!

Jen

THIS BLOG IS GOING PLACES!

This is my 100th My Life, in Red blog post!

After one year of learning, crying, writing, and celebrating on this blog, I've decided to make the switch to a new platform and new design on WordPress. My new site will allow me more control over the design and features and I hope you agree it is a major improvement.

My Life in Red is now at www.mylifeinred.net!

Because I've changed addresses and platforms you will need to re-subscribe to stay connected. But it's easy, just find the link that says "subscribe to this blog via email" in the bottom left corner of every page, enter your address, and hit "subscribe." You'll get an email with instructions for verifying your address.

I hope you enjoy my new blog home as much as I do!

Jen

P.S. I will leave this site just as it is for a while - maybe a long time, in case you have a favorite recipe bookmarked. It seems a few get visited over and over again!

GONE RED

Go Red for Women special section in Minnesota Monthly. August 2012.

Last February was my first heart month and it surprised me by being a big deal. One of the things I did, quietly, was go to the Go Red for Women Casting Call at the Mall of America. Each year several women are chosen as Go Red spokeswomen, and I knew that if I didn't at least try, I'd be mad at myself. But I didn't tell anyone about it, except Scott and even him not til the day before.

I went alone and got in line with my form and clipboard. There was a Go Red media backdrop, a chair, lots of lights, a camera, and an interviewer. She was very nice and clearly a professional. She knew how to get me to talk comfortably (public speaking is not a problem for me; cameras, that's another story). By the end I was crying and so was she. It was over quickly and I was happy with what I said. I looked around a little at the other Go Red events, and went home.

I guess some others liked what I had to say because I was selected as the winner for Minnesota, and so now you can see yours truly in Minnesota Monthly this August and on bus shelters (!) and billboards (!!) next February.

The photo shoot for the magazine was fun. There were four of us -- Angie, Andrea, Jennifer, and me -- and we posed for approximately 600 snaps of the shutter, maybe more, in a really cool commercial studio. We had photos together and individual "red dress" iconic shots. During the downtime we talked about heart disease and why we were there.

It was really humbling and inspiring to hear their stories. My age or younger, the other survivors are just as surprising heart disease "victims" as I am. And they are just as committed to sharing what they've learned, raising money and awareness, and living life to the fullest.

I hadn't expected to enjoy the experience so much and now I want to do more. The Casting Call will open up new opportunities for me to learn and grow and spread the word.

Even if I do have to look at my head 14 feet tall.

PAY ATTENTION NOW

I think the most important message I can send is that heart disease can happen to anyone. It is not a disease of old age; it is not a men's disease; you can be healthy and active and still be affected. So naturally I want to share this American Heart Association infographic on myths vs. realities.

Pay attention to your body and your risk factors. Heart disease is the #1 killer of women, more than all forms of cancer combined. Pay attention, and spread the word.

Click image to enlarge.

HEALTH RISK

So it's finally happened to me. My health insurance company has refused.

I've always considered myself and my family blessed to have good insurance. We've had our share of medical emergencies and long-term issues and with a little hard work and a lot of time on hold, we've gotten good coverage through the years.

So this is my first outright rejection. They don't want to pay for Crestor anymore, because my cholesterol no longer needs to be reduced more than 40 percent. So precisely because it worked -- dropping my LDL from 180 to 58 -- I no longer need it. Sure, that makes perfect sense.

They'll reconsider if I "try and fail" the generic brands, so lucky me, I get to start testing new medications and dealing with new reactions, interactions, and side effects. I'm especially looking forward to the muscle pain I hear comes with Lipitor; despite the mega-dose of Crestor I was on, I had managed to escape that. Muscle pain + marathon training = good times.

And then there's the anxiety of new drugs. I don't especially love that I'm on 14 pills a day, but at least I'm used to them all and I know what they do to me. Spending the next year trying and failing sounds like a new roller coaster ride of emotions and stress.

The most frustrating thing about this is that it seems that insurance would rather pay for another heart attack than keep refilling Crestor for the next 50 years (I'm optimistic, even when mad). They must have fed my data into their algorithms and concluded I was a low risk and therefore worth the extra cash in hand today. They feel comfortable with the risk; too bad I don't.

I know that this is a minor setback and that for millions of others, denied coverage is a much, much bigger issue -- one of life and death, not of anxiety and inconvenience. It happens. To many.

It shouldn't.

MYTH BUSTING

My new Road ID for running. In case I'm miles from home, alone,
it would be good for EMTs to know I've had a heart attack.

This post is inspired by a helpful American Heart Association article "Top 10 Myths About Cardiovascular Disease," which warns of the dangers of making false assumptions about your risk for heart disease.

I'm not the only one who made false assumptions about my heart; it took ER doctors and even cardiologists hours to believe I was really having a heart attack. But now I know the real truth and I want you to do the same.

Here are some of the myths the article describes and my own take on busting them. Read up, take your heart seriously, and pass it on.

I'm too young for heart disease.
Ha. I think we know how false this one is. I was 37 when I had my heart attack, and over the course of my eight weeks in rehab I saw at least two survivors much younger than me. In fact, 62% of people living with heart disease are under age 65.

I'll know I'm having a heart attack because I'll have chest pain.
Again, ha. No chest pain whatsoever. Sharp, stabbing back pain, yes. Arms, hands, and even palms aching to the point of tears, yes. Cold sweat, yes. Chest pain, not a bit. Especially for women, the symptoms of a heart attack can be as subtle as nausea. If something doesn't feel right, get checked. Don't assume it's heartburn, headache, muscle strain, or any of the zillions of excuses women make for their symptoms.

Genetics are destiny. Since heart disease runs in my family, there's nothing I can do about it anyway.
I fell victim to this one a little bit. I knew I had high cholesterol but so did most people in my family and they hadn't had heart attacks. I was off-and-on medication but it didn't really improve that much. I was off-and-on my low-fat diet, figuring all the exercise I was getting balanced that out.

Well, it didn't. With family history of high cholesterol my only risk factor, I had a heart attack anyway.

But here's the thing. After my heart attack, aggressive medication, diet management, rehab, and continuous exercise have brought my cholesterol way down, from a "bad" level of 180 to 58, and total from 230 to 106.

There is something you can do about it. So do it.

I don't need to start worrying about heart health until middle age.
Again, do I need to remind you that I was 37? (I guess that might be middle age - yikes!) Maybe it is, but if I'd been paying attention before that (I knew about my cholesterol levels in my early 20s), I might have avoided my trips to the cath lab and cardiac rehab.

The American Heart Association recommends you start getting your cholesterol checked at age 20 and to start even earlier if your family has a history of heart disease. Children with a family history can have high cholesterol levels, putting them at increased risk for developing heart disease as adults. My brother tested in the 300s when he was 13; I had my older son checked at age 10. So far, so good.

I should avoid exercise after having a heart attack.
Really? Someone actually thinks this? It might be hard. It might be scary. But if you want to live, get out there. I loved cardiac rehab and I recommend a formal, supervised re-entry into exercise. I felt so much safer, stronger, and more confident, and the structure it provided kept me accountable. Make sure your doctor approves and then get moving. I'm running a marathon this fall, but really, I'm running for my life.

The American Heart Association recommends at least two and a half hours of moderate intensity physical activity each week. There are 168 hours in a week; can you spare 22 minutes a day?

These are just half of the top 10 myths. Check out the AHA article for more!

LAUGHTER IS THE BEST MEDICINE

I really love this series of videos by the American Heart Association. They are designed to teach and encourage "hands-only CPR" and raise awareness about the importance of treating heart attack victims as fast as possible.

Thank you to comedians Ken Jeong and Jennifer Coolidge for lending their talent and visibility to heart disease!

Enjoy!

SURVIVOR IN TRAINING

It's on.

I've been stress-tested, blood-tested, and pressure-tested. I've been examined, reviewed, and notated. Poked, prodded, and medicated.

And all the tests and medical professionals have come to the same conclusion: There's nothing really wrong with you, except for that heart attack thing. So yes, go ahead and train for that marathon. Go ahead and live your life.

Oh, I will, and oh, it's on.

It isn't quite that simple, of course, but that's the (ahem) heart of the matter. There are a few rules to follow now that I'm a survivor. But I like it that way.

My first post-heart attack stress test was last November, and I passed it with ease. The test showed perfect heart function and no scarring, and while there is blockage in other arteries (that may either build up slowly or rupture spontaneously someday), it wasn't restricting blood flow. Dr. Murad, my cardiologist, said then: "It's like [the heart attack] didn't happen. But you know it did, and I know it did. We were there."

I was given the green light to resume vigorous exercise (which my trainers have taken extremely literally), and told I could probably try a marathon again. "But let's check again in May."

So last week we checked again. And by checked, I mean I had nuclear isotopes injected into an IV and then a 3D scan of my heart done in a kind of MRI machine. Then I ran on a treadmill at an ever-increasing incline while wired to an EKG machine and having my blood pressure taken every minute. When you are about to collapse -- like you really can't go another step -- you cry uncle and then they shoot you full of isotopes again and you have to keep going for one more minute. When you are done, it's back in the MRI machine to see what your heart is doing under  . . . well, stress.

Again I passed this one with ease, if being injected with stuff that comes in a locked, lead box is easy. My heart shows "excellent exercise tolerance" and "completely normal blood flow." And after obtaining sign offs on my training plan from Dr. Murad ("In my opinion, you can train for your marathon"), my trainers ("I'm gonna want to see your training plan. Are you resting enough?"), my old friends in cardiac rehab ("Cut back on the mileage in the later weeks; it is better to under-train than over-train. And take some vitamin D."), my primary doctor ("Do I think it is okay, yes. Do I think it is wise, no."), and even my ob/gyn (though that was just scheduling coincidence), I'm allowed to train for the Twin Cities Marathon.

But . . .

I'd better actually do the training. Because if they suspect I am not fully prepared, or that I'm pushing through something or forcing or sagging and lagging like I was last summer when I was training while getting ever sicker, they are going to pull the plug on their approval, like my trainer just did for the half marathon I was going to do June 2. (Having missed two long runs she doesn't think I can make up the training and just powering through is not allowed.)

Here are my rules:

• I'm not to over-train.
• I'm required to stop if something feels wrong, not just assume I must be some kind of wimp and keep going.
• I can't run if it is too hot.
• No anti-inflammatories. (That's Advil. Marathon training with no Advil.)

Basically, don't mess around, because you did have a heart attack, whether you feel sick or not. To quote Dr. Murad: "As we discussed, listen to your body, know your limits, and train within yourself. Be safe."

And really, this is the best thing they could have done for me or said to me. Because I do better with training when the rules are clear, the consequences are obvious, and someone's looking over my shoulder. I can't skip a work out because if I do I might ending up missing the whole thing. And I really don't want to miss it again. This year, I've got something to prove.

It's so on.

REPORTING IN

I love a good infographic. What a fun trend and great way to present information in our ever-more-visual, data-saturated media age.

So of course I'm going to love a heart-health infographic, and this one from the Wall Street Journal does not disappoint. (Click on it to see larger.) It accompanied an article called "The Guide to Beating a Heart Attack." Outlined in seven simple steps, it tells the same story I've been trying to communicate here: most heart disease and heart attacks are preventable. You, however, must make the right choices.

It's been eight months since my heart attack and I've been committed to doing all the right things. So let's review my report card and see how I measure up to the seven steps to beating heart disease.

KNOW YOUR NUMBERS

The Wall Street Journal calls this "the basics," and I love this quote: "Knowing your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers is as fundamental to heart health as knowing the alphabet is to reading." Yet about one-third of people with high-risk levels don't know it.

According to WSJ, the optimal LDL, or bad cholesterol, is under 100; HDL, or good cholesterol, is over 60; and blood pressure is less than 120/80.

A++ for me. My LDL is 62, my HDL is 34, (yes, it is less than 60, but since my LDL is so low the ratio that my cardiologist cares about is fine) and my blood pressure is 100/60. Take that, heart disease! 

NO DUH: DON'T SMOKE

Not a problem, haven't smoked since college. And even then I was a "social" smoker, until one day my senior year it was the first thing I did when I woke up. Gross. Quit cold turkey that minute and haven't had one since.

My grade: A- (for having ever smoked at all)

EXERCISE

I've earned an A+ on this one, mostly because I like working out so much. But here's the good news for those who do not like it so much, do not have the time for marathon training, or don't have access to personal training.

Guidelines urge three hours a week of brisk exercise to maintain heart health, but many people who can't find the time to work up a sweat for 30 minutes most days don't bother. "It's the all or nothing phenomenon," says Martha Grogan, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic.

But how about 10 minutes a day? While the 30-minute target is associated with a 70% reduction in heart-attack risk over a year, Mayo researchers analyzed the data and noticed that a brisk 10-minute walk a day results in a nearly 50% reduction compared with people who get hardly any exercise.

KEEP MOVING

This one is interesting. Even if you are active, and get your three recommended hours of exercise a week, too much sitting can negate that positive effect.

A study from Australian researchers published two years ago found that spending more than four hours a day in front of a computer or television was associated with a doubling of serious heart problems, even among people who exercised regularly.
Prolonged sitting was associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, higher body weight and lower levels of HDL, or good cholesterol, indicating that sedentary behavior has its own bad biology apart from whether you're physically active.

Thank goodness I'm home with my 4-year-old and hardly sit at all, so I get a passing grade of B on this one. For those who must sit for work, the article recommends getting up every 30 minutes or getting a stand-up desk for computer work. Taking walk breaks instead of coffee or snack breaks, taking the stairs, and parking far away will also help.

BE HAPPY

Easier said than done, of course, but stress -- and the stress of being unhappy or worried -- takes its toll on your heart. As my doctor said to me last fall: feed your soul. Make yourself a priority. (And if you need to, like me, get help, professional and/or pharmaceutical.)

I get at least a B+ on this. Though I went through some pretty difficult depression the first few months post-heart attack, feeding my soul, exercising my body, focusing on my family, and taking my antidepressant have made a huge difference. I am happy.

EAT YOUR VEGGIES

Eat healthy. Yeah, I'm all over that. I have to give myself a B+, though, because to earn an A+ I'd really have to go vegan.

B+ to me means I hardly eat any dairy (save fat-free yogurt and milk), only lean protein (chicken, turkey, tofu, beans, and fish), two eggs a week, the right oils, and lots of fruit, veggies, and whole grains.

GET ENOUGH SLEEP

Here's my worst grade of all: C- I regularly don't go to bed until midnight and then I don't fall asleep until 1 a.m. or later. Some of this is due to the medications I take; timed just wrong and I'll lay awake for hours.

Here's what the article has to say about sleep: 

Sleep's role in protecting the heart is underestimated, says Mayo's Dr. Grogan. "If you get one less hour of sleep than you need each night, you've basically pulled an all-nighter a week," she says. Chronic sleep deprivation can lead to high blood pressure, weight gain and increase your risk of diabetes, she says.

So sleeping is good for you! If only my kids understood that and let mommy sleep in.

This is my report card after having had a heart attack. Earn better grades than me and maybe you'll never have one.

IT'S BEEN A WHILE

Once last fall, in the midst of battling the worst of my post-heart-attack depression, I told a friend to be worried if I didn't blog for a while. That writing was something positive I was doing, and if I couldn't summon the energy to write, something must be wrong.

So, unsurprisingly, she was a little worried when there was only one post in March, and that was about how much I love nuts.

But it wasn't depression this time, it was just my regular life taking over, and I think that's a good sign. We went on vacation in early March, and when we returned, I had a lot of volunteer work to get done, chairing my sons' school PTA auction fundraiser. With only a few limited work hours available when my little Emperor Palpatine wants me to help catch Clone Troopers hiding in the dining room, I was just, well, busy.

So it's been a while.

It's also been a while since my heart attack, at least in the cardiac-care world I live in. Eight months tomorrow, to be exact. Not that I'm counting.

Oh wait, yes I am. Did you know that 42% of women who've had heart attacks die within the first year? Most of the time I feel safe and healthy and happy, and eagerly plan my summer of strenuous races and tennis lessons and yoga and training. And then I realize how lucky I am that I'm training for a marathon within a year of my heart attack. That I get to work out as hard as I want. That I can play baseball for hours with my family on Easter. That I'm here at all.

Sometimes I can't wait until August 14 and I pass my one-year anniversary. Will I then be safe from that statistic? It's been a while. But not long enough.

NUTS TO YOU

I have a new love of my life: these spicy and sweet curried nuts. I can’t get enough of them. I made them first for my heart party (um, I mean wine-tasting party) and I’ve made five batches since. I’ve finally given in and started doubling the batch.

Although I can’t stop eating them, I comfort myself that I’m at least getting loads of heart-healthy antioxidants with my zillions of calories. And, I learned from the keynote address at the heart health event I spoke at last month, that eating nuts - along with not smoking, being the right weight, exercising, eating right, and all those other good habits - is actually an indicator of longevity. So by eating these, I'm adding to my life. As long as I don't add too much to my waistline.

But, seriously, I challenge you to stop eating at just 1/3 cup (the serving size). I think you'll end up as addicted as I am. You are warned.

SPICED MIXED NUTS
Adapted from Ellie Krieger’s cookbook The Food You Crave 

1 cup whole, unsalted, raw almonds
1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
1/3 cup unsalted raw pistachios
1/3 cup unsalted raw pumpkin seeds
1 tbsp. maple syrup
1/2 tsp. curry powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Combine nuts and seeds. Add the maple syrup and spices and salt and toss to combine. Line a cooking sheet with parchment paper and bake 15 to 20 minutes until nuts are fragrant and lightly toasted.

You can adjust the quantity and types of nuts to suit your preference – the total should be 2 cups nuts. I love the cashews, so sometimes I skip the pumpkin seeds in favor of more cashews. The original recipe calls for walnuts too, and I’m sure that’s equally yummy, and they are better for your heart than cashews.

MY FIRST HEART MONTH

I was surprised at how much American Heart Month meant to me. Maybe because having a disease is, at its core, a very lonely thing. No matter how much others care, no one really knows what it feels like -- or how it makes you feel -- to just be.

So I set out to connect as much as possible. To not be lonely, or sad, or scared, or depressed. But to be active, engaged, positive, and happy instead. It worked, and I was.

I shared my story a few places, like guest blogging for friends and colleagues, writing an article for the Minnesota Women's Press, and speaking at the United Hospital Foundation's annual "Celebrating the Hearts of Women" event. I went to the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women Casting Call (an on-camera interview that they use to choose annual spokeswomen; I will find out if I made the cut in May) and my yoga instructor and I set up a Go Red class session where I shared my story and information on women and heart disease. Today, on the last day of the month, I volunteered with the AHA-Minnesota at Whole Foods, which is donating 5 percent of that day's sales to the fight against heart disease.

This blog featured guest posts by my friend/best-running-coach-ever Breanne about how to get moving, and my husband shared his story. I'm thinking of turning over my blog to him; his post has the second-highest views of all time! 

Last weekend, I had a red wine-themed party and celebrated life, fun, and wine (though some also celebrated beer). But my favorite part of the month was receiving all the photos of friends and family and readers wearing red on February 3; never have I felt less lonely while being all alone. 

So, yeah, Heart Month is a big deal to me. Thank you for all you did to make it great!

THIS PATIENT'S STORY

With Kris, the manager of cardiac rehab and Exercare
at United Hospital, and the emcee of the event.

I was asked to speak at a United Hospital Foundation event celebrating American Heart Month and to share my "patient story." The annual event, "Celebrating the Hearts of Women" focuses on women's heart health and prevention, and was held February 22. I was nervous, but it went well, and I made it through without crying (too much). 

I thought you might like to read my speech, so I've pasted it below. If you have read along with me on this blog these last few months, some of it will sound familiar.

Today I'd like to start with a story about Mary Jean. Mary Jean leaned over to talk to me as I waited for my first cardiac rehab orientation on a sunny Monday last August.

"Will you be joining us?" she said.

"Yes," I said. "I had a heart attack last Sunday, and I left the hospital on Wednesday."

"Oh," she said, and paused. I didn't wait for her to ask what I guessed was coming.

"I'm 37."

She didn't say I was too young to have a heart attack, or even act that shocked or surprised. She told me that she was 86, had had bypass surgery and now had a new valve and a pacemaker. And then she said, "You'll like it here. The people are very nice."

They were nice, and I did like it. The effort was lighter than I was used to, since I'd been training all summer for the Twin Cities Marathon and two duathlons. 

But it was exercise and movement and it felt good. I was supervised, monitored, checked, and scored. Someone told me what to do, when, for how long, and at what intensity. After the shock and upheaval I'd just been through, it was perfect.

A FLASH MOB WITH HEART

I always love a flash mob video, but this one got to me a little bit. Midway through the camera captures some people holding signs thanking scientists, doctors, nurses, pharmacists, clinical trial participants, and others who work every day to manage, cure, or prevent heart disease. I was looking for flash mob fun but found myself choked up and goosebumpy with gratitude. It's not about me. I'm just part of this big new community.

GUEST POST: HOW TO GET MOVING

My friend Breanne has been my running inspiration for years. When I first started running to lose weight after my second son, she cheered my first 5K like I'd just finished the Boston Marathon. When I decided to try for my first marathon, she became my coach. She helped me create a training program, provided critical advice (Body Glide: get some!), and listened to my running stories with amazing patience though she'd been there dozens of times before. (I really can talk about a long run for upwards of an hour.)

So naturally she was the first person I thought of who could give us the best advice about how to start exercising and how to keep going day after day, year after year, until it adds more to your life than just fitting into your skinny jeans or finishing your first 5K.

My brother and me after our first marathon. Breanne coached my brother too,
since everything she told me I passed on to him. Eventually he started sending
me emails that started "Could you ask Breanne ____."

Here's Breanne's take on how to get moving.

Six years ago my husband ran his first marathon. I was really impressed, and later vowed that if he ran the same marathon next year, I'd run the 10 mile race that went with it. A few days later I forced myself to run and had a miserable time. It was about 80 degrees out, I had no water, and I was going way too fast. "I hate running!" I thought. "I hate it! It's just not my thing."

I went on to run that 10 mile race and 13 marathons after that.

I discovered a few thing about myself and exercising along the way. When we want to start exercising I think many of us make the same mistakes and end up quitting. For example, we do an activity we think we should do, whether or not we enjoy it. If it hurts we take it as a sign that we can't do it or that the activity should hurt. We chose some heroic time of day to exercise that we hate.

If you'd like to start exercising and want long-term success, consider these things before getting started:

1. What time of day suits you best? I consider myself a morning person but that is not my best time for exercise. Neither is after work -- I'm too tired and hungry. While I occasionally do work out at those times my sweet spot is midday (over my lunch hour at work or midmorning or afternoon).
2. Do you prefer social activities or solo? What got me through my 10 mile training was realizing that I hated running alone. I joined a group training for the race and made friends and got advice and support.
3. What does your gut tell you that you enjoy the most? Does biking always feel great? Does yoga really fulfill something in your life? While it's fun try new things, you can't make yourself consistently do something you don't like. Don't second guess whether it's the "right" activity -- if your body is better for it, than it's worth doing.

A few other things that help make sure you'll keep at it:

1. The first few times (or weeks) you do your new activity, do it half as slow or easy as you think you should. We all do this -- we go out too hard at first. We're insecure, we think it's going to be hard so we make it so, and we cover up the fact that we don't know what we're doing by trying twice as hard. Most of the people who think they can't run really can -- they just need to slow way down and then build up over time.
2. Choose a goal, one that you admit to at least a few other people. A race, a distance, a yoga pose, a number of laps. When you reach that goal, celebrate! and then make a new one.
3. Figure out what motivates you. Does signing up for a class with set meeting times and a group to be responsible to appeal to you? Or would you rather draw up your own schedule and do it and not tell anyone? If you can have your exercise do double duty in your life (walking your dog, pushing the kids to the playground, biking to work) it'll be even easier to make it a habit.
4. Invest in some decent clothes to exercise in. Any kind of technical/wicking/dryfit clothes will do -- they are all fine. They should feel comfortable while you're exercising and keep you relatively cool. You should also like how you look in them. Target's C9 brand is fairly inexpensive and decent of quality.
5. Choose an activity that has an instructor (a class, group leader, or coach) or identify a mentor from your personal life. Having someone you can ask questions of helps keep you from feeling frustrated. And don't be afraid to ask questions -- who doesn't love to help someone else?

A few secrets to motivate you:

1. Once it's a regular part of your life, exercising really does give you energy and make you feel great.
2. The mental benefits of exercise are as amazing as the physical benefits. Nothing calms me down after a tough day like exercise. It also gives you a ton of confidence. 

Breanne is an amazing marathon mama and the best coach a girl could have. Read more about her life and her passions at her blog, Borealis.

NO JOKE

If you are an avid follower of heart disease news like me, there's no way you missed these headlines: 

Apparent heart attack at Heart Attack Grill
At Heart Attack Grill, diner's symptom's weren't fake

Apparently this restaurant in Las Vegas has made a theme out of unhealthy living. People who weigh over 350 pounds eat free. The doors have warnings on them, similar to cigarette packages. The Quadruple Bypass Burger weighs in at 8,000 calories. The waitresses dress as nurses and the cooks wear scrubs. Customers are called "patients" who are served "prescriptions" such as Flatline Fries. The restaurant's tagline: "Taste worth dying for." Their 575- pound spokesperson, age 29, did.

Heart disease as theme park. That's hilarious.

I had no idea such a place existed. And while I get the concept -- everything must be over-the-top in Vegas, people are going to eat terribly anyway, it's just a joke -- I just don't see how this is in any way funny. Is there another disease that could be treated in the same way? Diabetes? Cancer? Alzheimer's? AIDS? These photos on HappyPlace.com make it pretty clear that wouldn't happen.

So why is heart disease a joke? I've said the following myself, you know, before:

• "Heart attack on a plate" when cooking or about to eat something high-fat and high-calorie.
• "Don't wanna drop dead of a heart attack" when lamenting that I really shouldn't be eating the high-fat, high-calorie thing I'm eating.
• "You almost gave me a heart attack!" when startled.

(I said the latter once post-heart attack purely by accident; you should have seen the look on my son's face. I won't make that mistake again.) 

I don't think there are any similar phrases or figures of speech about diabetes or cancer or AIDS. Do people look at a piece of chocolate cake and joke "diabetes on a plate" before gleefully tucking in? I don't think so.

So why do we feel comfortable joking about heart disease? Why do people go to the Heart Attack Grill and tell themselves "it's fun to indulge once in a while"? Like the class clown who uses humor to protect himself, does our breezy attitude about heart disease keep us safe from it? A joke a day keeps the heart attack away?

I wish.

The truth is heart disease kills more Americans than any other disease. It kills more women than the next four causes of death combined, including all forms of cancer. It often strikes silently and without warning; for many, the first symptom they have of heart disease is death.

Once you have it you have it for life. You are never cured. You must make major and permanent life changes. Some people's hearts are so injured it affects their quality of life. A person who has had a heart attack is 20-30% more likely to have another one. Heart disease is no joke.

I think what might be making me so angry about this story -- aside from making fun of something that could have taken me away from my boys -- is that 80 percent of cardiac events are actually preventable by making healthy choices. Don't smoke, maintain a healthy weight, keep your blood pressure in line, exercise. When something like the Heart Attack Grill comes along and makes a mockery out of heart disease, it seems very hard to get that message through.

So listen up. You can eat your way into heart disease. Don't.

YOGA POWER

I heart yoga.

I started about 18 months ago, shortly after leaving my full-time job. It had been on my I-really-should-but-don't-have-time list for years, and I finally screwed up my courage and took a beginner's class at a studio down the street from me. I had the best teacher who seemed to read my mind (she could always tell if I stopped focusing on my breathing and let my frantic thoughts take over) and who taught us very slowly and carefully. In that stressful transition period between ending my career and starting my new life as an at-home mom, yoga was the perfect partner. Where had it been all my life?

After a few beginners sessions and then continuing classes, I started heading out on my own to different drop-in classes, like the one on Wednesdays at a community center close to our house. The instructor is very good and has a devout following at the various classes she teaches around the city.

So I asked her one day (again, screwing up my courage) if she would consider having a Go Red for Women day at her classes. Her response was an enthusiastic "I love this idea!" I told her about my heart attack (I had just stopped coming to class and then appeared again weeks later with no explanation, and she didn't ask) and suggested we could wear red and I'd get some materials from the American Heart Association. She included my story and an article I wrote about women and heart disease in her email newsletter for three weeks, reaching 275 women.

Our Go Red for Women Yoga class was today and it was so empowering. I got a little choked up seeing all the people in red, and I shared a bit of my story. What struck me, though, watching everyone's reactions, was how little people know about women's risk of heart disease and heart attacks. They really don't know that it is the number one killer of women.

I said what I really wanted them to take away was knowledge of the risk factors for heart disease, and the knowledge that 80 percent of cardiac events were preventable through healthy choices. But I also wanted them to know that if they did everything right and still had a heart attack, then they needed to know the symptoms and to toss aside women's typical "don't be a bother" behavior and get themselves to the hospital, pronto.

The only man at class that day raised his hand. He is a paramedic, he said, and he wanted to tell us more about the signs and symptoms. Don't smoke, he reminded (I'd forgotten that one), and told us that for women, unexplained shortness of breath can mean a heart attack. I confessed I drove myself instead of calling 911 and he covered his face with his hands with frustration. I'm so glad he was there; I think his message really made an impact.

Yoga always makes me feel calm and strong and powerful, and it was even more so today. There's power in knowledge, power in community, and power in women. I felt it today and it felt amazing.

Namaste.

Yoga in my backyard with my nieces.

VALENTINE'S DINNER . . . FOR FOUR

I can't remember the last time my husband and I went out for Valentine's Day. I think it was an early seating at some popular place more than 10 years ago. They'd clearly brought in extra tables and I was closer to the person next to me on the banquette than my husband across the table. So much for romance.

So now I prefer dinner at home with my best men. Purely for my own enjoyment I set the table with my china, linens, and the red dishes my Grandma gave me, make something special that everyone loves, and light the candles. We have a lovely time together eating and giving gifts (from me to the boys, from all the boys to me). For about 20 minutes. And then its time for swimming lessons. Ahh, the romance.

I like to think I'm inspiring my boys to create traditions with their families someday. That doing something special and doing it every year will sink in. That maybe they will be the occasion-creators in their families. If nothing else, I hope they will learn it is a joy to do things for others.

Owen's Valentine's Day dinner request was Diablo Shrimp, his all-time favorite meal and my good friend Heidi's creation. With a bit of post-heart-attack modification, it's a special treat for all of us.

Happy Heart Day! Please do what you need to keep your heart healthy so you can share your life with those you love.

Heidi's Diablo Shrimp

1/4 cup olive oil (Heidi's original recipe is 1/2 cup butter, which I assure you is divine. But olive oil is good too and the way it must be around here)
1 tbsp. garlic, minced (must be fresh, do not cheat and use jarred like I often advise)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 cup white wine (Pinot Grigio being my white of choice!)
1 lb. peeled devined uncooked shrimp (my boys love shrimp so much I often use 1.5 lbs.)
1 lb. linguini
thin slices of lemon
5 oz. fresh baby spinach
parmesan cheese

Combine olive oil/butter, garlic, and cayenne. Cook until garlic is soft. Add wine and cook until reduced by half. Allow to cool a little. Cook pasta in the meantime and reserve some pasta water in case you need to thin the sauce.

Return oil and garlic to the heat and add the shrimp. Cook until nearly opaque, then add the spinach. Cook until heated through and wilted. Serve over the pasta with lemon slices and parmesan.

30 MINUTES A DAY

This very cool video is worth the watch. It makes it crystal clear why moving your body is the best medicine.

ACTIVE INVESTMENT

My brother started running a few months after I did,
and ever since we've been race buddies. He slows down
to run with me.

I have been a pretty active mama since my second son was born in August 2007. Staring down a bridesmaid's dress and a Hawaii destination wedding within five months of his birthday, I had ample motivation to get going. I started walking, then running, and the baby fat melted off. The next spring I ran my first 5K and was hooked on racing. I was on my way.

So it was more than a little surprising that I had a heart attack anyway, four years, one marathon, one half-marathon, and at least a dozen shorter races and hundreds of training miles later. And while I had a good base of fitness, I didn't have the whole thing mastered, especially post-heart attack. For that, I needed help.

I started cardiac rehab about five days after I was discharged from the hospital, and I discovered I loved being told what to do, how fast to do it, and for how long. I worked as hard as I could (or the staff would allow), and left cardiac rehab dripping with sweat, which from what I could see was a fairly rare phenomenon. I loved it, but I couldn't stay forever.

GUEST POST: MY HUSBAND'S STORY

My husband and me. Photo by Noah, age 4.

It's hard, if not impossible, to know what it is like for those around you, those who love you, when your own life is in crisis. I will never know what my husband felt like the day that I went to the ER but he drove our son to camp. I asked him if he was willing to write about it. Here is his story.
 

When I woke up that morning, she wasn't in bed. This was unusual since I am the early riser in the family. I found her curled up on the coach in our TV room looking miserable. "I don't feel very well. I have been taking ibuprofen all night and I still feel uncomfortable. I think it is some really bad heartburn or something." Not long after this, she said, "I better go into the doctor to see what is wrong. You go ahead and take Owen to camp, but let's make sure he doesn't think anything is wrong and worry all week."

So that's what we did. Jen ate some breakfast, showered and got ready just like it was a normal day. She left for the hospital while the boys and I drove out to drop off Owen for his week-long camp. I let the boys watch a movie during the car ride and all the while I was waiting for a call or text from Jen for any update on what they might be finding. First update came via text … she is fine, but they haven't figured out anything yet. The second update came just before Noah and I were going to leave Owen for his week-long camp: “They just gave me nitroglycerin.” That is usually given to someone to prevent heart attacks.

AFTER MY OWN HEART

My sons' school participates in Jump Rope for Heart every year. The children learn about heart health, jump rope for as long as they can (in our school it is a gym class unit), and raise money for the American Heart Association.

This year, Jump Rope for Heart is a big deal to my 10-year-old, "because, you know, you had a heart attack Mom."

Owen figured he had a pretty persuasive fundraising argument and could raise a lot of money, so he set his goal at $1,000. With five days left to go, he's at $850. My husband and I have decided to match whatever he raises.

Here is the text that Owen wrote on his fundraising webpage, of which he is extraordinarily proud: 

Hello again! I would like to introduce myself. I'm Owen.  I want to tell you a little about me. First of all I am doing my homework so I have to get this done fast:

• I'm 10 yrs. old
• I have a little brother[Noah]
• My Mom had a heart attack last summer!

I hope you will donate to support the American Heart Association. My fundraising goal is $1000. The money is used to help other people keep their hearts healthy.

I have donated $71 of my own money already. My mom and dad are going to match any donations I get.

P.S. "Please donate!"

Who can say no to that? It was so rewarding and humbling to work with Owen on his fundraising goal, an email to family, and his web page. He was so mature, so generous, so idealistic, so young. He smiled and hugged and wanted to check over and over to see if any donations came in. He couldn't wait to tell his gym teacher.

Of him I am extraordinarily proud.

If you'd like to donate, check out Owen's personal fundraising page or support a child you know doing Jump Rope for Heart.

NOW YOU KNOW

Heart disease is the number one killer of women in this country. Number. One. It kills more women than the next four diseases combined, including all forms of cancer.

But it didn’t kill me. At age 37 and in training for a marathon, I had a heart attack. With no risk factors save a family history of high cholesterol, I thought I knew enough to stay safe. I didn’t, but you should.

February is American Heart Month and I really want you to take it seriously. Not for me, because I survived and I’m healthy and thriving. But for the 500,000 other mothers, daughters, sisters, nieces, wives, lovers, and friends who will have a heart attack this year, and the 300,000 who will die from it.

Did you know that:

• 8 million American women are living with heart disease; 35,000 are under 65.
• The biggest risk factors are high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, smoking, and family history.
• Women’s hearts respond better than men’s to healthy lifestyle changes.
• 80 percent of cardiac events could have been prevented through healthier choices.

And if you knew the dangers and knew your risks, would you make the changes necessary to protect your heart? Would you:

• Talk to your doctor and get a lipid profile to check your cholesterol levels.
• Know your Body Mass Index and lose weight if you need to.
• Know if your blood pressure is high and take steps to improve it.
• Stop smoking.
• Make sure your doctor knows if you have a family history of heart disease or high cholesterol.

I knew that I had a family history of heart disease. I knew I had high cholesterol. I knew that women often explain away their symptoms: "I must have lifted something funny, hurt myself in yoga, maybe its heartburn," all excuses I used for days as the pain steadily grew worse for two days beforeI went to the hospital. And I knew that women's heart attacks present differently than men’s and seem somehow, inexplicably, hard for doctors to spot. I knew all that and I still never imagined this could happen to me.

But it can, it could, and it did, and it could happen to you or someone you love. And now you know.

FIND OUT MORE

The Heart Truth is the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s women’s awareness campaign, and the original Red Dress campaign. Check it out for videos, prevention tips, warning signs, and information about how you can participate in and promote national Wear Red Day in February. www.hearttruth.gov.

Check out Go Red for Women, a program of the American Heart Association, for its great nutritional center, free risk assessment tool, and a social tool “Tell 5 to Save Lives.” Go Red for Women also produced the Elizabeth Banks short video “Just a Little Heart Attack.” www.goredforwomen.org

Sources: American Heart Association, National Institutes of Health, Women’s Heart Foundation.

ARE YOU GOING RED?

My family and I, wearing red!

I'm very excited about my "very first" National Wear Red Day on Friday, February 3 - first post heart attack, that is. It's a simple way to show women that raising awareness about women's risk is important.

But, having left my job last year to stay at home with my boys, I'm without a natural group to Go Red with. I will wear red that day - but I'll mostly be at home, dropping kids off at school, or at the gym. My boys will wear red, and maybe my husband will finally wear that tie I bought him with the red dress symbol on it. (I promise, it's not girly.) But I won't have a group photo to post or submit to the American Heart Association just for the fun of it.

So I wonder if you will help me. Will you wear red on Friday, February 3, and get your family, colleagues, or classmates to join you? Snap a photo on your phone and email it to me? (jen (at) mylifeinred (dot) net). I'll put the photos I get on this blog and we'll have a virtual Go Red community.

I am working on some extra posts and features to commemorate American Heart Month in February, and I look forward to sharing what I've learned. Heart disease is number one killer of American women, taking more mothers, sisters, wives, daughters, and friends than all forms of cancer, combined.

Find out more about the Go Red For Women campaign and plan to wear red February 3!

VEGGIE MONTH WEEK 5 MEAL PLAN

Huevos Rancheros. Mmm.

January is almost over! For those who are still hanging in there, here is a very-short-week vegetarian meal plan for you.

I've had a lot of fun finding new recipes to try and creating these plans. I hope you've found something new for dinner at your house!

DOWNLOAD VEGGIE MONTH WEEK 5 MEAL PLAN

VEGGIE MONTH WEEK 4 MEAL PLAN

Monday night: Cornmeal crusted bean burger. Yum!

It’s week four! After this week, there are just two days left of vegetarian month, a fact for which my older son is very grateful.

He’s been a good sport, though. And while we’ve tried a couple dozen or more new recipes by now, only a few have been deemed worthy of adding to our regular dinner rotation.

So far, my family has loved: Spicy Peanut Noodles, Lentil Quiche, Fettuccine with Creamy Red Pepper Sauce, Spicy Szechuan Stir Fry, Rigatoni with Cauliflower, Mushroom Polenta Pie (well, to be honest, only I loved that), Crispy Black Bean Tostadas, White Bean & Toasted Cumin Chili, Pumpkin Corn Muffins, Pappardelle with Goat Cheese and Onions (again, only the grownups loved this one), and Ancho-Lentil Soup with Grilled Pineapple. 

Others were good enough, or “oddly tasty,” like the Coconut Rice with Butternut and Edamame (week 1), Cajun Dirty Rice (week 3), Sweet Potato Burritos (week 2), or Pasta Della California (week 3). A couple recipes never got made, either because I ran out of time or used the ingredients for something else. There wasn’t one we just hated.

Which recipes did you try? Did you find any new family favorites? 

Happy cooking!

DOWNLOAD THE WEEK 4 PLAN

VEGGIE MONTH WEEK 3 MEAL PLAN

TGIF! This pasta will make everything all better.

It’s already week 3! I’m finding that this year’s vegetarian experiment is much easier and smoother than last year’s. My boys aren’t mutinying and Scott and Owen are even battling it out for who will win the vegetarian lunch challenge. Owen is currently winning; Scott slipped up by eating a Caesar salad with anchovies in the dressing, but Owen ate his peanut butter sandwich while all his friends had hamburgers at school. He reported it was “torture.” I’m pretty sure a school lunch hamburger is its own form of torture.

I also think it is easier because cooking methods and ingredients are more familiar, and since I had to cut most cheese and dairy after my heart attack, I’m finding it easier not to rely on cheese as the protein. This opens up new categories (beans, beans, and more beans!) and new recipe options.

Some new resources I have on hand have also helped make it easier, including my vegan cookbook “Veganomicon” and the “Moosewood Restaurants Low-Fat Cookbook.”  After some disappointments with low-fat cookbooks that merely try to substitute or fake dishes usually made with high fat ingredients, I realized that I should start with something that tastes good because it is a good vegetable– or lean protein-based recipe, not a modification. This has definitely improved my enjoyment of cooking and eating, and broadened the range of available meals.

I hope you enjoy this week’s menu!

DOWNLOAD THE MEAL PLAN

NO EXCUSES

I like this phrase from this public service announcement: "Don't make excuses, make the call."

My symptoms were pain in back, shoulders, and arms, and fatigue. I made lots of excuses for my symptoms. You shouldn't.

Please take 60 seconds to watch, and then pass it on.

VEGGIE MONTH, WEEK 2 MEAL PLAN

Spicy Szechuan Tofu Stir Fry is set for Monday.

Hurray for learning new technology skills! I upgraded my desktop software so I could make a PDF of this week's vegetarian month meal plan, then learned how to add it to my blog so you can download it. I must really, really like sharing food ideas and recipes. Oh yeah, I do.

Last week's menu plan was done in a big hurry, so I think this week's is better. More varied (e.g. pasta only once), more use of beans and whole grains, more uniformly low-fat, and more clip art too. I love clip art.

If you try any of these, please come back and comment and share your review and your family's reaction. Or, you can share your favorite healthy vegetarian recipe. I would love to talk about food!

DOWNLOAD WEEK 2 MEAL PLAN

ODDLY TASTY

My nephew gave his mom this recipe "in case
you don't like what Aunt Jenny sends." Love.

Today was day 1 of vegetarian month, and my brother and I cooked the same rice dish 200 miles apart. Was it fried rice? Was it risotto? It was hard to say, but my sister-in-law described it perfectly: oddly tasty. It was a strange dish, and maybe a little far out for the very first day, but in the end most of the kids ate it and we all got a serving of soy, mushrooms, and squash so I'll call it a success.

Dinner table conversation was interesting. Owen: "What's wrong with meat anyway?" My nephew: "I just don't understand WHY we have to be vegetarian!" But we all survived and everyone is looking forward to tomorrow's offering: Spicy Peanut Sesame Noodles. I'll share that recipe with you now in case you want to cook along.

RECIPE: SPICY PEANUT SESAME NOODLES

P.S. If you'd like a copy of my weekly meal plans, including recipes and shopping lists, leave me a note in the comments.

RECIPE: SPICY PEANUT SESAME NOODLES

Adapted from the Joy of Cooking
Serves 4-6

2 cups peanut butter (creamy, chunky, your choice)
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice vinegar
2 tbsp. garlic puree or equivalent roughly chopped fresh garlic
3 serrano peppers, cut into pieces (more or less to your spice preference)
3 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil (divided)
2 tbsp. chili oil
1 cup brewed black tea
1 lb. lo mein or spaghetti noodles
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin strips
Chopped cilantro

Start the pasta water. Blend peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic, peppers, sugar, and salt in a food processor. Scrape into a bowl and stir in 1/2 cup sesame oil, chili oil, and tea. Drain pasta, toss with 2 tsp. oil, and place in a large, shallow pasta bowl. Top with sauce and toss. Garnish with cucumber and cilantro.

We are having this with steamed broccoli on the side.

JANUARY FOODIE FUN AND WEEK 1 MEAL PLAN

I'm so excited to be reprising Vegetarian Month this January. My family did this last January and I blogged about it at Fair-Weather Vegetarians. (A friend pointed out this is January in Minnesota, so it should have been titled Foul-Weather Vegetarians). The blog and project was fun, but it ended on February 1, when my boys (all three of them) requested a pound of bacon for breakfast.

My purpose then was just to try something new, get out of a cooking rut, and detox from the holidays. And while we did maintain the vegetarian diet all month, we weren't exactly eating healthy all the time (see Best Macaroni and Cheese and Spinach Quiche for exhibits A and B).

This year, vegetarian month takes on a new meaning and challenges. Vegetarianism (or veganism) is really the best way for me to eat heart-healthy. This year's challenge, though, will be not relying on cheese, eggs, or dairy to round out the menu or make it feel richer and more satisfying. (My boys are not exactly thrilled about this either - check out this video from last year!)

I'm also creating weekly meal plans and recipes and sharing them with my brother and his family, 200 miles away, who have signed on for this month's experiment. I can't wait to hear their reviews of the recipes, especially since they have four kids 7 and under! And of course, I plan to share the best we discover here.

Stay tuned for updates on my kind of mid-winter foodie fun. I can't wait to get started!

DOWNLOAD WEEK 1 MEAL PLAN