COPD Treatment: Managing a Progressive Disease with Proactive Therapy
By Jennifer Carr, BSN, MA If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), you’re not alone. COPD affects more than 15 million Americans according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. COPD is a term for a group of conditions that causes breathing problems which include but […]
Setting Your Child Up for a Healthy Heart
By Emily Ruden, MD Cardiologist at Riverview Health There’s no doubt that getting your kids to eat healthy can be a challenge. But setting a good example from a young age can not only shape their eating habits for later in life, but it can set them up for excellent heart health as an adult. […]
Support Your Heart with Weight Training
By Ryan Lawson, Exercise Specialist When we think of heart health, often times we picture eating better and including regular cardiovascular exercise into our daily routine. Did you know research has shown that, when appropriately prescribed and supervised, resistance training has positive effects on your muscles, as well as cardiovascular function, metabolism, coronary risk factors […]
Supporting Tobacco Users Who are Trying to Quit
By Mindi Matthews, Director of Health & Wellness If you know someone who’s trying to quit using tobacco, you have an important job as a support system. Here are some tips to help your friend or family member who is trying to quit: Do respect that the quitter is in charge. This is his or […]
High Blood Pressure: “The Silent Killer”
By Mindi Matthews, director of Health and Wellness at Riverview Health High blood pressure is a very common and dangerous condition. About one out of three adults in the US—or 67 million people—have high blood pressure. However, only about 47 percent of these people have their blood pressure controlled. High blood pressure is called the […]
Heart Health Facts and Tips
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. More than half of the deaths in men in 2009 were due to heart disease. Every year 720,000 Americans have a heart attack. Of these, 515,000 are a first heart attack and 205,000 happen in people who’ve already had a heart attack. […]
Early Action is Key to Heart Health
Knowing the warning signs and symptoms of a heart attack is key to preventing death, but many people don’t know the signs or are in denial that they’re having a heart attack when it happens. About 47 percent of sudden cardiac deaths occur outside the hospital, which suggests that many people with heart disease don’t […]
Sodium: Shake it Off!
By Katie Boscia, MS, RD, IBCLC February is National Heart Health month, which is a reminder to pay closer attention to the amount of sodium you consume. Many people think that by reducing their sodium intake from the saltshaker, they’ll be fine. In reality, most of the sodium we eat—approximately 75 percent or more—is consumed […]
Heart Health: Know Your Numbers
Making sure you’re on the right track to maintaining a healthy heart is as simple as knowing five little numbers: blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index, cholesterol and waist size. By regularly monitoring these five things, you can quickly see when something is abnormal so you can follow up with your doctor. Blood Pressure […]