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February is heart month and I’ve saved some of your cardio questions for this month’s column. If coronary heart disease has been off your radar, February is a great month to do something about it. Talk to your doctor. That’s always the best place to start. Also, this month, many local organizations and community centers are offering various free screenings and info. And there’s no time like the present to make good on that New Year’s resolution to get some exercise.

Q: My wife is in the high-risk group for a heart attack. Are the symptoms any different in women than in men?

A: Most women exhibit similar symptoms to men; chest discomfort with pain or heaviness in one or both arms and/or shortness or breath. BUT women are more likely than men to have symptoms as subtle as sudden fatigue, nausea, back or jaw pain, or shortness of breath without chest pain. Symptoms in men and women may actually go away even though the person is still having a heart attack. So always err on the side of caution. Calling 911 at the first inkling of a problem may allow a patient to receive new life saving medication. Also, you may want to invest in an automated external defibrillator (AED). They cost about $1000 and they’re very easy to use, even for the non-technically minded. (Training is available at the American Heart Association www.americanheart.org or your local Red Cross www.redcross.org)
 

Q: I have a family history of heart disease. My cholesterol is high and so is my blood pressure. My doctor says I have early stage heart disease. I’ve quit smoking and I’m trying to watch what I eat. My doctor tells me to start exercising, but the only suggestion he had was walking. What else should I do? And how much is this really going to help? 

A: I’ll answer your second question first. Exercise can help a lot. According to the National Institutes of Health a half hour of moderate aerobic exercise daily can lower your risk of heart attack by 50%!

Got your attention? OK.

Walking is great and it doesn’t cost a dime. But, any aerobic exercise that is exercise that gets your heart rate up to 50-80 percent of max for at least 20 minutes will have a profound effect on keeping your cardio-vascular system healthy. Swimming, biking, jogging, skating, cross country skiing and aerobic dance, are all good examples of aerobic exercise.  Basketball, soccer and even tennis, can be aerobic, if the action is continuous enough.  

Send your Ask Mirabai questions to askmirabai@movingfree.com

Mirabai Holland M.F.A. is one of the leading authorities in the Health & Fitness industry, and public health activist who specializing in preventive and rehabilitative exercise for women. Her Moving Free™ approach to exercise is designed to provide a movement experience so pleasant it doesn’t feel like work. For more information www.movingfree.com


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