Rounding Out American Heart Month

We hope everyone will join us at our next tempting Pathfinder Produce market this coming Thursday, February 25, from 1 to 5 p.m.  It’s hard to believe that we’re rounding out February; we’re looking forward to our special events in March to celebrate our THIRD anniversary for the “Little Market that Could.”  Stay tuned for details! 

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This month, in partnership with the American Heart Association, we've focused on American Heart Month in our “veggie blog.” Hearts are something that are near and dear at Pathfinder Village, as many of our friends and loved ones with Down syndrome may have heart conditions.  (There’s still time to support our team at the upcoming America's Greatest Heart Run & Walk in Utica on March 5th!)

According to the National Down Syndrome Society, about half of all people born with Down syndrome have congenital heart defects (holes in the walls of the heart, valve issues, etc.).  Many of these conditions require early surgeries, and tremendous advances have been made in recent decades that allow children to lead full and active lives.

Research into heart conditions and new medical treatments have directly contributed to increased longevity for people with Down syndrome:  Back when Pathfinder Village opened in 1980, life expectancy was 25 years; today, with better cardiac care and improved access to medical care, longevity is now more than doubled for those with Down syndrome, according to researchers from the National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities.

But while treating congenital conditions has helped greatly, people with Down syndrome also need to follow the same healthy heart advice as everyone else:  We all need to restrict fats, excessive sugar and salt in our diets, watch our portions and maintain healthy weights, and stay physically active in regular heart-pumping exercises.  Doing all these things not only improves heart health, but also offers benefits for pulmonary health, bone and muscle health, and mental health.

Here at Pathfinder Village, we’ve offered many fitness and sports activities to members of our remarkable community through the years.  We now regularly offer ZUMBA, seasonal Special Olympics training activities, fitness swimming and personal training sessions; and we will be opening up our next session of OVER 21 classes later this spring to members of our area communities.  We are presently offering a new program, DASH TO THE SPLASH, to provide training guidance, support, and incentives for those who would like to get into a beginner’s walking/running program.  (Call Monica Clark here at the Village for details on how to join DASH TO THE SPLASH, which will lead into our third annual Splash Path 5K and Fun Walk on May 21).

And of course, diets are big factors in determining heart health …. Pathfinder Produce is here to help you eat more tasty nutrient packed vegetables and fruits, which is a great way to get away from highly processed and sugar-salt laden foods.  By focusing on fresh produce, and cutting back on carbs and meats, you can really make some meaningful changes to your health!

Until next time, eat and be well!

Lori

Risk factors and Heart Histories

We hope everyone will join us this Thursday, February 18, at the Village Commons from 1 to 5 p.m. for our next Pathfinder Produce fresh fruits and vegetables market.  Buying fresh produce is a key way that you can directly improve your family’s health, and during these blah, gray days of winter, it’s the perfect excuse to get outside and feel productive.  We look forward to seeing you!

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In our continuing observation of American Heart Month, it’s a good time to remember the risk factors for heart attacks.  As we work toward improved cardiac health, it’s also good to know what to do when a heart attack is happening.  If you think that you or a loved one are experiencing a heart attack, call 911 and get immediate help.  Minutes count!

Common warning signs of heart attacks may include:

·        Chest pressure, fullness or a squeezing pain that lasts for several minutes or goes away and returns.

·        Pain or discomfort that extends beyond your chest to one or both arms, your back, neck, stomach and jaw.

·        Unexplained shortness of breath.

·        Cold sweats, nausea, vomiting, lightheadedness, anxiety, indigestion, and unexplained fatigue.

After you call 911, have the person sit or lie down and remain calm.  Be prepared to do CPR if the person stops breathing; the 911 dispatcher can coach you if you don’t know what to do. If you have an AED unit nearby and know how to use it, send someone to get it as you help the person.  If the person is alert and not allergic, give the person a baby aspirin if it is available.

 

Many of us think that we are not at risk for heart attacks -- statistics say otherwise. Each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

• Approximately 1.5 million heart attacks and strokes occur.
• About 800,000 people die from heart disease, about 1 of 3 deaths.
• About 150,000 deaths occur in people under age 65.
• Heart disease kills roughly the same number people in the U.S. each year as cancer, lower respiratory diseases, and accidents combined.

Heart attacks and cardiac disease result in staggering losses for families, our communities, and our country, which incurs over $320 billion in direct and indirect costs each year through heart disease.  Recently, those losses have come into focus through the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia.  News stories indicate his health history and risks were consistent with those who die from heart attacks:

Smoking:  According to the PBS Newshour, Justice Scalia was a smoker of cigarettes and pipes.  This factor is key, as 1 out of 5 cardiac-related deaths is attributable to smoking, the main preventable cause of death and illness in the U.S.

High Blood Pressure: The New York Times, U.S. News, and other sources have stated that Justice Scalia’s doctor, Rear Admiral Brian P. Monahan, had said he suffered from high blood pressure.  This happens when the pressure of the heart’s pumping action strains arteries and veins. This damage can result in vascular scarring, plaque build-up, and clot formations that lead to strokes or heart attacks. 

Other preventable risks for heart disease include being overweight, not exercising, having high cholesterol and eating an unhealthy diet, and having diabetes or high blood sugar.

Other factors that contribute to heart disease are those you can’t control -- age and heredity.  Justice Scalia was 79, and according to biographer Joan Biskupic, his parents, Salvatore and Catherine, died within weeks of each other in the mid-1980s due to a stroke and heart attack.

Looking at Justice Scalia’s life through the lens of heart disease is sobering.  And although he was controversial, he was also respected and well-loved by his colleagues (he enjoyed opera with Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg and took Justice Elena Kagan hunting several times).  I offer this unique look at his health in hopes that it may offer perspective, point out our own risks, and inspire readers to make meaningful changes.

Until next time, be well!

Lori

Matters of the Heart

Hello! We hope everyone will come out to our next Pathfinder Produce market at the Village Commons on Thursday, February 11, from 1 to 5 p.m. Our fresh, delicious fruits and vegetables are perfect ingredients to heart healthy meals during February, which is American Heart Month.  We'll be looking for you!

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This week, our students from Pathfinder School are collecting on behalf of the American Heart Association, doing their part to help out its worthwhile work and raise awareness, all in preparation of Friday's HOOP FOR HEARTS event. Our school has participated in this event, along with AHA’s Jump Rope for Heart, for several years, and our students and staff always come up with some innovative twists to make the learning unit fun.

The students are also learning about the heart's role in the body, how it circulates oxygen­rich blood through arteries and capillaries to our cells, and then how the depleted blood circulates back though capillaries and veins, leading back to the lungs. (The history of William Harvey, physician to James I and Charles I, first described this system in 1628. His work was based on observation and experimentation; before then, it was thought there were two independent systems, one for “nutritive” blood that circulated nutrients from the liver through the body, and one that pumped “vivyfying” blood to distribute the life ­force from the lungs through the body).

This year, our Adaptive PE Teacher, Susan Johnson, is creating an obstacle course, planning some basketball skills events, and even has a “Vote for Your Favorite Apple” table in the works. (The students will be encouraged to try several varieties of apples and then vote for the ones they like best). Then, those students who have reached their fund raising goals for AHA will have the fun of hitting our Director of Education Maura Iorio and other instructional staff members in the face with whipped cream pies. (We hope to get some good pictures!)

It's good that the activity focuses on nutrition too ... watching what we eat is one of the ways that we can improve our overall heart health. Although many named diets incorporate these measures, it really comes down to eating more fresh fruits and veggies, cutting back on fats,  drinking lots of water instead of highly sweetened beverages, limiting meats, salts and sweets, and being aware of portion sizes. The Mayo Clinic has a good website that offers specific advice on the foods you should eat to promote better heart health. They even offer a regular e­newsletter if you are interested.

As we head into Valentine's Day Weekend, why not change up your game and present your sweetheart with a fresh fruit basket or homemade heart­ healthy meal. February is a good time to take stock of your heart health and plan adjustments through better eating and exercise, stopping smoking, and losing weight, to give your loved ones the best Valentine’s gift ever.

Until next time, enjoy life, eat well, and be well.  <3

Lori

National Wear Red Day & American Heart Month

We hope everyone will join us at the next Pathfinder Produce market here at the Village Commons on Thursday, February 4, from 1 to 5 p.m.  Stop by, say hello to our great staff, and enjoy some great deals on fresh fruits, vegetables, and other healthy items on sale.  You’ll be glad you did!

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This Friday is National Wear Red Day in support of promoting women’s cardiac health; this is the tenth year of the observance by the American Heart Association.  I plan to wear red that day, as a sign of solidarity.

When I was younger, it was assumed that men had more heart attacks than women.  But through research by the American Heart Association, our understanding of how women experience heart disease has expanded greatly. A decade ago, the AHA discovered that heart disease killed more women than men, and that it resulted in more women’s deaths than all forms of cancer combined.  Now, women’s heart health is tracked better, medical care is improved, and women are being helped as evidenced by these Top 10 Accomplishments by the AHA. 

February is also American Heart Month, a four week observance of how we can improve our heart health and address some serious health trends that plague Americans.  As part of Pathfinder Village’s commitment to improving community health, we are sponsoring a team for the Greatest American Heart Run & Walk, which will take place in Utica on March 5, 2016.  To join our team or to donate to a team member, visit our team page by clicking this link.  We welcome new team members, donations, and invite you to join us for a fun day at the AHA’s “flagship” run & walk event.

This year’s chairman of the Greatest Heart Run & Walk is Edmeston’s own Albert Pylinski, the Executive VP, CFO/CRO and Treasurer at NYCM Insurance, and a former Trustee of the Pathfinder Village Foundation.  He is leading the effort in support of AHA’s 2020 impact goal: to improve the cardiovascular health of all Americans by 20% while reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease and stroke by 20%.

Until next time, Wear Red, Team Up, and Be Heart Smart!

Lori