RESILIENCE

Resilience is the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, trauma, tragedy, threats, or other significant sources of stress.

Resilience is linked to greater happiness, well-being, life satisfaction, success, and inner peace.

Physically, resilience keeps you healthier! Those who are highly resilient tend to have the ability to effectively manage or buffer extreme stress. They are also more likely to be able to neutralize or deal with it before it overwhelms them and damages their mental and physical health. 

Resilience also helps one recover more easily from illness or injury. Resilience helps one heal faster. I am proof of that. I have battled physical problems my entire life starting with severe allergies. I learned early on that one can give in or push on. I built up my resilience even in childhood when I didn't even understand it. One of my best examples to share is the story of my broken hip. I lost my husband and four months later I fell and broke my hip. Everyone, including my therapy staff, was amazed how quickly I bounced back. I was anxious to get back to my life and be home when my first great-grandchild was born. Guess what? I made it!

I once had a great doctor who told me, after a major diagnosis, "You can go home, lay down and die in a few months. Or you can go on with your life and live fairly normally." That was when I had three children in school. Resilience played a big part. I am now the grandmother of seven and great-grandmother to four.

Do you need to build up your resistance?  Tomorrow we will discuss ways to do just that.

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CAN HOW WELL YOU SLEEP AFFECT YOUR HEART?

Yes, sleeping well plays an important role in heart health. Sleeping poorly increases inflammation and can negatively affect blood pressure, diabetes and weight. Below are some ways to set yourself up for good sleep. If good sleep is a problem for you, check out the helpful hints below.

• Keep to a regular sleep-wake schedule seven days a week.
• The following things can mess with your sleep so avoid them; caffeine, a large meal, and alcohol.
• Stay away from your digital devices for at least an hour before your bedtime.
• Find some non-stimulating wind-down activities that relax you and tell your brain it's time to settle down.

If sound sleep seems to continue to be a problem for you, you may need to see your health care provider for further help.

Here's to a good sleep!

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SMOKING AND VAPING INCREASE HEART ATTACK RISK

I think most people now know that smoking is not good for your health and that includes your heart. Be aware that smoking includes vaping or e-cigarettes. Vaping causes an increase in blood pressure and heart rate and is associated with a greater risk of stroke or heart attack. If you are not able to stop smoking or vaping on your own, talk to your doctor. He/she knows of programs and/or medications to help you break the smoking habit.

 

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INFLAMMATION AND HEART RISK=A BAD COMBINATION

Another reason to treat inflammation in the body is that inflammation and heart risk go hand in hand. There is the fleeting inflammation our bodies use to fight off injury but that is not what we are talking about. There is also chronic inflammation or inflammation that becomes constant, and it can have a negative impact on the heart. Untreated chronic inflammation does play a role in cardiovascular changes that may up one's heart disease risk. Your doctor may do blood work to check the inflammation in your body. What can you do? Exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables are good anti-inflammatory habits to establish.

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IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK

It is important to know the signs of a heart attack; it could save your life. If not your life, possibly the life of a friend or loved one. One you have probably heard several times, but it is still applicable, is the "elephant on the chest" one. Never ignore that sign which applies to both men and women. But women beware that women often have no chest pain. When I had a heart attack many years ago, I became very lightheaded and nauseous. The stomach flu was going around at work, so I assumed I had caught it. Thankfully, my late husband was watching me and caught me as I started to fall. I never had chest pain.

In addition to the elephant on the chest feeling, below are more signs of a heart attack you should be aware of:

• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
• A cold sweat, lightheadedness, or fainting
• Pain in the back, the neck, the jaw, the stomach, or one or both arms
• Nausea or vomiting

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WOMEN AND HEART DISEASE

Women are you aware you have what some cardiologist call "bonus" heart disease risk factors? In additions to the risk factors, you share with men. such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol, etc women have a few more. Nieca Goldberg M.D., a NYC cardiologist says doctors don't talk enough about the sometimes pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and gestational diabetes that can affect health years later. If you ever suffered any of those complications after giving birth, you should mention them even years later if talking to your cardiologist or any doctor discussing your heart health.

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GET YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE CHECKED

 Do you get regular blood pressure checks? If your answer is no, you need to add that to your medical regimen. I am amazed at the number of people who rarely go to the doctor or have regular checkups. You don't have to be sick to go for an annual or semi-annual checkup. One of the first things they usually do when you go to the doctor, is to check your blood pressure. Even if you are a healthy person who doesn't have to see a doctor except occasionally, make sure your blood pressure is checked several times a year. Most pharmacies have a free blood pressure check machine in their facility. Use it occasionally.

High blood pressure raises your risk of having a heart attack or stroke. The American Heart Association actually calls high blood pressure a "silent killer" because there are usually no symptoms. Having your blood pressure checked regularly is very important for good heart health.

Not as often, but low blood pressure can be a problem, too. Wherever you do it, have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. It's the smart thing to do. Lifestyle and diet play a big part in one's blood pressure. If you have a blood pressure problem, you may need to make some changes in your lifestyle and/or diet.

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FIVE TIPS FOR EATING WITH YOUR HEART IN MIND

Who among us wouldn't like to lower our heart disease risk? There are several risk factors we can't control, genetics for example, but we can control our diet. Nieca Goldberg, M.D., medical director of Atria NYC and a clinical associate professor of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, says that building your meals with the right foods can do wonders for your heart health and even lower your heart disease risk. She suggests the following five ways to do just that:

1. Cut way back on processed foods.
2. Reduce the amount of salt you eat (Number 1 will help a lot with this).
3. Cut back on simple carbs such as white rice, bread, pasta, and sugar.
4. Eat at least five servings of fruits and veggies a day for fiber and important nutrients.
5. Eat less saturated fat (found in fatty meats and high-fat dairy products).
6. 
   

There is nothing complicated about those five suggestions. Those are really pretty simple ways to protect your heart.

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BEING ABLE TO LAUGH AT YOURSELF FOR YOUR HEALTH

I won't even ask if you have ever had a life situation that makes you cringe or feel dumb. I won't ask because we are all human and we have all had those situations. Did you know that laughing at yourself in those situations can give you a head-to-toes boost? Rachel Goldman, a NYC-based clinical psychologist has said, "Humor and laughter, when not motivated by belittling ourselves, can reduce stress hormones and relax the body."

Research also suggests that laughter may improve your memory as well as help build your resilience. Ms. Goldman went on to say, "The mind-body connection is real, the two are always sending each other signals. We can tweak a behavior or thought and it can directly impact how we feel."

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PROSTATE CANCER

Men, did you know that prostate cancer is the second most common form of cancer in men in the United States. Lung cancer is the number one. The American Cancer Society estimates there will be 333,830 new cases of prostate cancer diagnosed this year. They also say that one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime.

Prostate cancer often has few or no warning signs when in its earliest stages. However, because the prostate surrounds the urethra, urinary problems such as difficulty or pain during urination, needing to urinate more frequently, incontinence or blood in the urine, can be common first symptoms. Other symptoms can include a decrease in ejaculation, pain during ejaculation, unexplained pressure or pain in the rectum and pain or stiffness in the lower back, hips, pelvis or thighs. 

Men, it is important to report any symptoms to your doctor and follow your doctor's advice if he recommends prostate cancer screening.

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