A Matter of the Heart
“... somewhere in your life there has to be a passion. There has to be some desire to go forward. If not, why live?”
This February is flying by!
This week we are highlighting another important figure in healthcare. Her name is Dr. Alexa Irene Canady, and she is the first black neurosurgeon. Her focus was on patient centered care. Her story begins before 1981 when she became the first black neurosurgeon in the US. She, like many of us, struggled with self-confidence and nearly dropped out of college! Thankfully for all of us, she went on to become the chief of neurosurgery at the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. She has contributed much to the field of neurosurgery and the field of medicine in general. Her focus on patient centered care has allowed her career to flourish even after she planned to retire.
Dr. Alexa Irene Canady
American Heart Month is in full swing.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Most middle-aged and young adults have one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being a smoker or overweight. Having multiple risk factors increases your risk for heart disease.
Here are some facts, how-to tips, and resources to inspire you to join with others, even if you can’t be physically together, to improve your heart health.
Move more
Invite family, friends, colleagues, or members of your community to join you in your efforts to be more physically active:
Ask a colleague to walk “with you” on a regular basis, put the date on both your calendars, and text or call to make sure you both get out for a walk.
Get a friend or family member to sign up for the same online exercise class, such as a dance class. Make it a regular date!
Grab your kids, put on music, and do jumping jacks, skip rope, or dance in your living room or yard.
How much is enough? Aim for at least 2½ hours of physical activity each week—that’s just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. In addition, do muscle strengthening exercises 2 days a week. Can’t carve out a lot of time in your day? Don’t chuck your goal, chunk it! Try doing 10 minutes of physical activity at least three times a day. NHLBI’s Move More fact sheet has ideas to get and keep you moving.
Aim for a healthy weight
Find someone in your friend group, at work, or in your family who also wants to reach or maintain a healthy weight. (If you’re overweight, even a small weight loss of 5–10 percent helps your health.) Check in with them regularly to stay motivated. Agree to do healthy activities, like walking or cooking a healthy meal, at the same time, even if you can’t be together. Share low-calorie, low-sodium recipes. Check out NHLBI's Aim for a Healthy Weight web page.
Eat heart-healthy
We tend to eat like our friends and family, so ask others close to you to join in your effort to eat healthier. Follow NHLBI’s Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Research shows that, compared to a typical American diet, it lowers high blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels. Find delicious recipes at NHLBI’s Heart-Healthy Eating web page.
Quit smoking
To help you quit, ask others for support or join an online support group. Research shows that people are much more likely to quit if their spouse, friend, or sibling does. Social support online can help you quit. All states have quit lines with trained counselors—call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). You’ll find many free resources to help you quit, such as apps, a motivational text service, and a chat line at BeTobaccoFree.hhs.gov and Smokefree.gov.
If you need extra motivation to quit, consider those around you: Breathing other people’s smoke, called secondhand smoke, is dangerous. Many adult nonsmokers die of stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke.
Here is more information about heart healthy activities: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/education-and-awareness/heart-truth
For more information about Dr. Alexa Canady follow these links:
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/exhibition/opening-doors/bio_Alexa_Canady.html
Thank you to everyone who braved the weather last week! We are so grateful for all of you! This weather has been a bit unpredictable! We really do love to see each and everyone of you each week! We hope to see you tomorrow!
Here’s a lineup:
Morgan from Urban Harvest is set to make their debut at NHFC! Mitchell from Buckwheat Farm will have various microgreens that he fresh cuts for you right there at his booth! We will have Bon Bon Bakery, Ms Shirley, Marie’s Baked Goodies all there with wonderful sweet baked treats. Jams Jellies Jewelry and More and Rosa Ray’s Farm Fresh will also be out there with wonderful jams and jellies, breads, and teas. And we can’t forget about the arts! Prachi Henna art and Sonder Collective will be at the park along with another new vendor Jump 4 Joy Creations!
We are always looking for more people to join our fun! If you or anyone you know is interested in becoming a vendor at our market, follow the link below for our vendor application!
Just a hint of all the fun we have to offer! Come join us!