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SmartMom: Health Getting To the Heart of the Matter By OC FamilyPublished: February, 2008

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Health Getting To the Heart of the Matter February is a time for sweethearts, love notes and boxes of chocolate. It’s also a great time to remember that little powerhouse ticking inside that lets us enjoy all these wonderful pleasures: your heart. Although the data has been around for a while now, the fact that heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in women still seems to get muffled out.  But the numbers speak for themselves: Cardiovascular disease claims the lives of more women than the next 5 causes of death combined – almost twice as many as all forms of cancer! Fortunately, there are many ways we can arm ourselves in the fight against cardiovascular diseases, starting with educating ourselves. By learning all you can about these serious health threats, you can work to reduce your risks. Quick facts about heart disease: > Only 13% of women view heart disease as a health threat, even though it’s women’s No. 1 killer. > Cardiovascular disease (CVD) kills 480,000 women a year, about 1 per minute. > One in 3 adult females and males in the United States suffers from a form of CVD. > CVD claims more lives than the next 4 most common causes of death combined. > On average, an American dies of CVD every 35 seconds. > Coronary heart disease is the No. 1 single killer of women over age 25. > Sixty-four percent of women who died suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. > One in 2.6 female deaths are from CVD, compared with one in 30 from breast cancer. > Heart disease rates in post-menopausal women are 2 to 3 times higher than in pre-menopausal women of the same age.   Knowing your numbers is an important part of keeping your heart healthy. Take these numbers with you to your next doctor’s appointment and, together, you can establish a benchmark, determine your risks and track the progress you’re making toward a healthier heart. To learn more about women and heart disease, check out the American Heart Association website at americanheart.org --- SIDE BAR --- Factor     > Total Cholesterol > LDL (“Bad”) Cholesterol > Optimal > Near Optimal/Above Optimal > Borderline High > High > Very High > HDL (“Good”) Cholesterol > Triglycerides > Blood Pressure > Fasting Glucose > Body Mass Index (BMI) > Waist Circumference > Exercise Goal Less than 200 mg/dL LDL cholesterol goals vary. Less than 100 mg/dL 100 to 129 mg/dL 130 to 159 mg/dL 160 to 189 mg/dL 190 mg/dL and above 50 mg/dL or higher < 150 mg/dL < 120/80 mmHg < 100 mg/dL < 25 Kg/m2 < 35 inches Minimum of 30 minutes most days, if not all days of the week

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