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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

WHAT TO HAVE FOR DINNER, VOL. 2

It's been awhile since I've shared some recipes. And though it is the busy holiday season and other projects seem to take precedence, dinner still needs to appear (as if by magic) every night. So here are some fast, tasty, and healthy dinner ideas to keep you fueled for shopping, wrapping, baking, and partying. I hope you enjoy them!

COMFORT FOOD: NORTH AFRICAN MEATBALLS WITH COUSCOUS AND CARROTS

This is as comforting as your favorite meatloaf, but interesting and a little different too. I found this recipe through watching Food Network while at Exercare; the chef for this show cooks French food so it is usually an exercise in irony watching her while on the elliptical. But this recipe is full of healthy fats and plenty of spices, and though the recipe calls for ground beef, I substituted ground turkey and it was completely delicious.  

Fat Free Foodie Note: Ground turkey works almost interchangeably with ground beef, with one caveat: Do not buy ground turkey breast. You need something labeled "ground turkey" so there's some dark meat in it, or it will be just too dry for use in ground beef recipes. Ground turkey is about 94% fat free, while ground turkey breast is 99% fat free. While the breast seems like the more virtuous choice, that 5% of flavor is really needed to keep you on the heart-healthy eating path. Trust me on this one.

THERAPY ON A PLATE: PAPPARDELLE WITH GOAT CHEESE AND ONIONS

The first time I made this it was a near-religious experience. Featuring feta cheese, one of the better cheese options, and onions, garlic, olive oil and your dark leafy green of choice, it is creamy, toothsome, and completely satisfying. And even better, it's super fast and easy. Make this when you get home late on a cold, snowy night and serve with a nice light red, like Chianti or Pinot Noir. Everything will be all better.

(If you haven't started trying Real Simple's recipes, I recommend it. I've found many of my favorites there, and they always include nutritional info.)
 
WORTH IT: CRISPY ASIAN CHICKEN WITH BRUSSELS SPROUTS

This recipe, also found in Real Simple, is simple but time-consuming. It took much longer than I thought (about 45 minutes), but it was worth the wait. Chicken is dredged in corn starch and pan-fried in canola oil (see, crispy but still allowed!), then stir-fried with sliced brussels sprouts.

It was a huge hit with Owen, who loves all flavors Asian.

YOU HAD ME AT POLENTA: PARMESAN POLENTA WITH SPICY SAUSAGE SAUCE

I get a little emotional when I get to eat something that replicates the smooth creaminess normally provided by fat, cream, and cheese. This one does that for me. Fast, easy, spicy, creamy, tangy, and hearty. Yum.

This is a Cooking Light recipe, torn from a waiting room copy. Yes, I'm that person.



FRIDAY NIGHT AT HOME: PUMPKIN FONDUE

Scott and I have a new Friday night tradition: feed the boys pancakes or eggs early, put them to bed, then eat grown-up food with a glass of wine and some peace at 8:30.A couple weeks ago we had pumpkin fondue with bread, apples, pears, and Pinot Noir. Perfect, but you know how I feel about pumpkin.

I found this recipe on Eating Rules, a great recipe blog. Try it - it's boozy (hello, entire bottle of hard cider), spicy, creamy, and cheesy. And only 64 calories for 1/4 cup.

WHY WAIT?

"I think there's something wrong with me. In case I don't get back in time, you'd better stay here and take Owen to camp."

I said something like this to my husband around 8:30 a.m. on a Sunday morning, after I'd spent the whole night awake, whimpering in pain and popping Advil four at a time. Once I finally told him how I was feeling and we decided I had "better get checked out," I didn't call 911 or rush to the ER.

Nope. I ate breakfast, helped pack for camp, took a shower, styled my hair, supervised a pre-schooler potty break, and put on makeup. For my date. With a heart attack.

Why do people who suspect they are sick or in danger delay seeking help to attend to family, work, pets, or in my case, my hair? That is the question that a group of researchers at Yale University are trying to answer through the Yale Heart Study.

I took the study myself about a month ago. Funded by the National Institutes of Health, it is a simple online survey designed to understand why people wait, on average, four hours to go to the hospital when having heart attack symptoms. If you are a member of the heart disease awareness community (I am now, of course, card-carrying), you know that "time is muscle." Every minute counts.

The problem is, heart attacks can be sneaky, particularly in women, and it is not unusual for people to mistake heart attack symptoms for indigestion, heartburn (my excuse of choice), anxiety disorders, fatigue, or asthma. Add to that our tendency to put everything and everyone else first.

Here's how the study's primary investigator, Dr. Angelo A. Alonzo, describes it:

We are so embedded and invested in our daily lives that we are very, very reluctant to just drop everything and seek medical care. We have to be certain it is a real problem, we have to finish the task at hand, we need to make arrangements if we are hospitalized, we have to cancel appointments, our work activities are important to our identity, and we are too strongly tied to our social obligations to just leave them. . . only when the signs and symptoms become so overwhelming do we willingly go.

This is indeed exactly what happened to me, and the denial didn't stop in the parking ramp (yes, I drove myself). I called home to make sure rain gear was packed for camp. I called again from the ICU to give instructions on what to pack for my younger son's trip to my brother's house while I was in the hospital. I emailed work colleagues after my first surgery. It took nearly 24 hours in the hospital before I gave in and let go.

The idea behind the study is to understand why individuals like me make the decisions they do. With this knowledge, an effective intervention strategy can be devised to get people to the hospital faster. Says Dr. Alonzo: "The irony is that one gets the most therapeutic benefit if one is in the hospital within the first hour of acute symptoms onset."

The study has reached about 15 percent of its goal of 2,300 participants. They are seeking survivors of all ages, men and women, willing to share their experiences to help others. It takes about 30 minutes to an hour to complete (you can save and return to the survey if you are short on time). It is also completely anonymous.

If you or someone you know has had a heart attack, please encourage them to take the study. It may save someone else time and muscle, or quite possibly, their life.

For more information, visit https://heartstudy.yale.edu/hacs/ or email heart.study@yale.edu.

STRESS RELIEF

I got the results of my first post-heart attack stress test today, and the news is good. Very good.

My total cholesterol went from 230 to . . . (drumroll) . . . 106!
My LDL (bad) cholesterol went from 180 to . . . 58!!
My HDL (good) cholesterol also dropped a little, from 39 to 35, which is not the greatest news but expected, since my overall number is so low.

And even better news than that, my heart itself is in great shape. It has enough blood flow at rest and at peak exercise. It is not damaged or compromised from my heart attack. I wish you could have heard the nurse's voice on the phone when she said "and there's not even a scar!" with that little lilt of incredulity, like she didn't really believe what she was seeing.

I didn't expect this much progress either. True, I've been eating like a model heart patient, exercising 4-5 times a week, learning all I can, and taking all my bitter pills, with or without a spoonful of sugar. And though I expected some results (dammit), I didn't think it would be this dramatic. I really thought my DNA would have been more determinate.

So when you see articles and TV talk shows and PSAs where the doctors say "heart disease is largely preventable," that's really true. While I will always have it, if you know your numbers and commit to the necessary changes, you won't. Because all this stuff -- diet, exercise, and medication and focus and sacrifice and love and prayer -- actually works.

JENNY

If you are one of the millions like me named Jennifer, you know the Jenny song. You know, "Jenny, I got your number. I'm gonna make you mine. Jenny, don't change your number . . . 867-5309 ee i en." That one.

(Once at a work/social event for my husband, the band asked if anyone was named Jenny. To my mortification, Scott's hand shot up as he shouted "My wife!!" And that's how I ended up on stage in front of all his co-workers and bosses and a bunch of strangers. Not cool.)

But this is pretty cool. Plenty campy, but nonetheless fun. "Jenny please know your numbers, blood pressure, lipids, and BMI ee i ee." I had to share it.



Mayo Clinic is using this video to promote its free Facebook app that makes it easy to know your numbers and your potential. Check it out.

Love,
Jen(ny)