Heart Health: Young Hearts for Life tip of the week

Throughout November and December, District 88 will share tips about heart health in preparation for its Young Hearts for Life events at Addison Trail and Willowbrook.

District 88 has partnered with the Young Hearts for Life® (YH4L) Cardiac Screening Program, a not-for-profit organization affiliated with Advocate Charitable Foundation, to offer free electrocardiograms (ECGs) to identify high school students at risk for heart conditions. The events are sponsored by Edward-Elmhurst Healthcare.

Below are the details of District 88’s Young Hearts for Life events. Be sure to sign your student up today! And don’t forget to register as a volunteer.

Willowbrook
When: Feb. 11, 2016

Where: Willowbrook, 1250 S. Ardmore Ave. in Villa Park

To register: Go to https://screenings.yh4l.org/YH_enroll.aspx
(register by Jan. 22, 2016)

To volunteer to help with the event: Go to http://vols.pt/Hunknm
(register by Jan. 15, 2016)

Addison Trail
When: Feb. 25, 2016

Where: Addison Trail, 213 N. Lombard Road in Addison

To register: Go to https://screenings.yh4l.org/YH_enroll.aspx
(register by Jan. 22, 2016)

To volunteer to help with the event: Go to http://vols.pt/QrCYir
(register by Jan. 22, 2016)

Nov. 6:
This week’s tip comes from Mayo Clinic (www.mayoclinic.org) and answers the question, “Are there symptoms or red flags parents, coaches and others should be on the lookout for that signal a young person is at high risk of sudden cardiac death?” According to Mayo Clinic, symptoms to watch for include:

  • Unexplained fainting (syncope). Sudden and unexplained fainting that occurs during physical activity could be a sign there's a problem with your heart.
  • Family history of sudden cardiac death. Another major warning sign is a family history of unexplained deaths before the age of 50. This obviously isn't a physical symptom like fainting, but deaths like this in your family should prompt you to pay close attention and perhaps talk with your doctor about screening options.
  • Shortness of breath or chest pain. These symptoms also might be a sign you're at risk of sudden cardiac death, but these aren't common and might be a sign of other health problems such as asthma.

Nov. 13:
This week’s tip comes from WebMD (www.webmd.com) and discusses the importance of knowing your heart health numbers. According to the article, “(It’s important to) establish a baseline to help plan every preventive step for the rest of the year.”

“You need to know if you are at risk before you can take action to lower your risk,” Lori Mosca, MD, Ph.D., director of preventive cardiology at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and author of “Heart to Heart: A Personal Plan for Creating a Heart-Healthy Family,” said in the article.

Know your HDL (or “good” cholesterol), LDL (or “bad” cholesterol), total cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressure, weight and body mass index (BMI) numbers. And make an appointment now for a check-in at this time next year to see whether your new healthy habits are making the grade.

Nov. 20:
This week’s tip comes from WebMD (www.webmd.com) and discusses the importance of de-stressing your heart.

According to the article, “Stress raises blood pressure, heart rate and levels of the stress hormone cortisol. These days, people are less and less capable of leaving stress at the office because everyone is connected 24/7.” The article recommends putting away your computer, phone and e-mail for 15 minutes at a time and working up to an hour a day. Instead, turn on relaxing music for 10 minutes – and listen and breathe.

Dec. 4:
This week’s tip comes from WebMD (www.webmd.com) and discusses the importance of getting enough rest.

According to the article, “The next time you're tempted to stay up later than you should, just think about how good that pillow will feel – and how good a full night's sleep is for your heart. In one study, young and middle-age adults who slept seven hours a night had less calcium in their arteries (an early sign of heart disease) than those who slept five hours or less or those who slept nine hours or more.”

Dec. 11:
This week’s tip comes from the American Heart Association and discusses simple changes you can make to help avoid health problems related to your heart. According to the article, “by focusing on seven key health factors and behaviors – what the American Heart Association calls Life’s Simple 7 – you can keep your heart healthy, lower your risks of heart disease and stroke and improve your quality of life.”

Life’s Simple 7 are:

  • Lose weight/maintain healthy weight
  • Eat better
  • Get active
  • Manage blood pressure
  • Reduce blood sugar
  • Stop smoking
  • Control cholesterol

To see the full article, go to http://tinyurl.com/zrqdsky.

Dec. 18:
This week’s article comes from www.nhs.uk and offers 10 healthy heart tips. According to the article, “A healthy lifestyle will make your heart healthier. (Below) are 10 things you can do to look after your heart.”

  • Give up smoking
  • Get active
  • Manage your weight
  • Eat more fibre
  • Cut down on saturated fat
  • Get your 5 A DAY
  • Cut down on salt
  • Eat fish
  • Drink less alcohol
  • Read the food label

To see the full article, go to http://tinyurl.com/cerrpg2.