Come on ladies, don’t let me down! I am so disappointed by the following research findings…

Researchers at University of Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas found that women with a family history of heart disease were less likely than men to change habits such as smoking and infrequent physical activity. In fact, they were more likely to engage in lifestyle choices that increase their risk of heart disease than are women who didn’t report a history of heart disease.

Seriously speaking, we need to be smarter than that. If you know what a risk factor is, which I know most of us do, then why not do all that you can to change the situation? Us women need to stick together and support and encourage each other. Find a buddy to walk and diet with or ask your partner to help you make lifestyle changes so you will be here to enjoy life together. Yeah, it sound kind of serious when I put it like that huh?

What do you do to help yourself stay on track? Do you find it difficult or is it a piece of cake? I know that personally, I need a kick in the ol’ butt every once in a while.

via Science Daily

Wade at Healthbolt has inspired me to write once again about that taboo subject of sexual relations. When I think about it, my discharge teaching with an acute MI patient is focused on nutrition, exercise and lifestyle changes, but doesn’t touch on sex. Don’t you think that should be a valid thought? “When is it safe to have sex again?”

Well, lucky for ya’all, I have done my research on the horizontal hookie pookie.

Sexual intercourse is considered as mild to moderate exercise. It takes about as much energy as walking up a couple flights of stairs. Most people can safely resume sexual activity as soon as they leave the hospital. In some cases, your doctor may advise a delay until your strength improves.

Fear and anxiety about sex after a heart attack is to be expected. A few suggestions to help you on your lovin’ way…

Ask your doctor for his or her suggestions. Do not have sex right after a heavy meal. Try to have sex only when you feel rested. Focus on touching, sharing, and closeness by using sex play, mutual pleasuring (mutual masturbation), and self-pleasuring (masturbation) to orgasm.

What do I think is the most important component to getting back in the game? Talking! Share your concerns and worries with your partner. Let the experience be something that you share together and brings you closer. After all, sex is all about “togetherness”!

via Women’s Health Advisor

hat tip to Wade

I walked a 5K this morning at Bulle Rock golf course for Women’s Heart Health. That would be the same course that the ladies of the LPGA are playing this week for the McDonalds Championship. Like I said before, it is so cool to have this literally in our backyard.

After the walk they provided a breakfast and health screenings for us, ie. blood pressure, body fat, BMI, and cholesterol. Love having that body fat done, you know? It wasn’t that bad. At least when you know, you can do something about it. We also had a holistic physician as a guest speaker.

Most of what she was referring to didn’t apply to me, but she had some very valid points. Exercise and nutrition are of course the key factors in the prevention of heart disease. She gave the obvious pointers we all know too well. That is not too say that we carry through with them!

But the one topic that she touched on really made me think. “So many of us take blood pressure and cholesterol medication for years and years, but do we stop and evaluate if our situation has changed enough to warrant discontinuing the medications?”

This is something that I don’t touch upon when speaking with patients. Things have to change with our bodies over time, right? Especially if you have made positive lifestyle changes!

You could be taking medications that are not even needed. Could you be doing more harm than good? Have you reevaluated your heart medications recently?