Giving Back to the Charlotte Community

As we approach the end of 2018, the American Heart Association continues to encourage the Charlotte community to support its mission toward being a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives. Some may think donations to the AHA only impact lifesaving research for heart disease and stroke patients, but the AHA is similarly invested in advocacy and community education that benefit all of us.

How is that possible? The health of many residents in the community is determined by the environment in which they live, grow, work and learn. The AHA is committed to improving the living conditions of underserved areas by advocating for safe streets, healthy food options and access to quality, equitable care.

Within the Charlotte community, many lower income neighborhoods are at risk from lack of access to nutritious foods, healthcare and physical activity. According to Charlotte-Mecklenburg and public health stats, 16.4 percent of families live in food deserts and 26 percent do not incorporate physical activity into their daily routines. Smoking is an additional health concern as 17 percent of residents smoke. With the help of AHA and Tobacco Free Mecklenburg, government subsidized housing was required to comply with Smoke Free Policy, which impacted over 22,000 Charlotte residents who live in these units. This lifestyle can be detrimental, raising the chances of cardiovascular disease and other health conditions.

The AHA worked with Charlotte City Council and the community to pass the Charlotte WALKS Pedestrian plan, Charlotte’s first safer walking and biking plan. In November, voters passed the bonds which provide for new affordable housing, new streets, trails and bike lanes, and neighborhood improvements. And more than 350 sports balls were donated by Charlotte Heart Ball guests to provide CMS After School Enrichment Program with necessary equipment for physical education activities and summer programming.

The health of all Charlotteans continues to improve as Novant Health enrolled in the AHA’s Target: BP program utilizing our resources to measure and manage hypertension in more than one million patients. Free clinics are working with the AHA to provide blood pressure self-management programs as well as healthy eating and physical activity kits for children and families. Faith-based organizations have improved the health of their congregations by providing AHA educational materials, assessment and goal setting, standards and online forums and tools. Mecklenburg County Health Department’s faith-base initiative, Village HeartBEAT now requires all participants of their program to have a smoke free policy, healthy eating policy and mandatory CPR training at their sites once a year.

With continued financial support from the community, the AHA and many other local partners working together to improve lives will implement policies to ensure that all of Charlotte, including underserved neighborhoods, have access to the necessities that sustain overall health. For more information on how you can support the work of the AHA and give back to our community, contact our office at AHA Charlotte 704-417-5751 or email ahaclt@heart.org

AHA Shares Heart Healthy Tips With Girl Talk Participants

The Girl Talk Foundation held their second annual Healthy Moms Healthy Girls event at the Girl Scout Hornet’s Nest Council on November 3rd. The American Heart Association participated in this event to share information on heart health and teach them the lifesaving skill of CPR.

According to Go Red for Women, Men were 1.23 times more likely to receive bystander CPR in public settings, and they had 23 percent increased odds of survival compared to women. 

The Girl Talk foundation empowers teenage girls to be confident and diligent through character building programs that focus on open and honest communication. Through this program, young women practice skills that are beneficial to their education and careers.

Over 100 mothers and daughters attended the event. Mothers and Daughters were able to learn various health tips which include blood pressure management, hands-only CPR, healthy nutrition, benefits of physical activity, understanding mental health and building self-confidence.

The AHA engaged with Girl Talk Foundation through their partnership with Novant Health and Janine Davis, the founder of Girl Talk Foundation, AHA volunteer and radio personality for 101.9.

 

Make Your Halloween Healthy This Year

Halloween is a fun time of the year to dress up, attend festivities and enjoy delicious treats! Although many children look forward to trick or treating and eating lots of candy, an overload on sweets is not always the best option for their health. Candy contains an abundant amount of added sugar, with zero nutrients, that can lead to weight gain and other health issues.

The good news is that Halloween can be made fun and healthy with simple substitutions. Opting to give away fruits, vegetables and healthy snacks over candy is a great way to ensure that children are getting their daily nutrients. Some alternatives to candy include:

• Mini boxes of raisins
• Clementines decorated like Jack-O-Lanterns (with non-toxic ink)
• Snack-sized packages of pretzels, popcorn, graham crackers, dried fruits/vegetables or nuts
• 100% real fruit strips, ropes or leathers

As for encouraging your own children to make healthier choices, start by feeding them a healthy meal before they go trick or treating or to a neighborhood party. Let them enjoy a few pieces of candy when they return home but put away their stash and disperse it in limited amounts each day. Recommend that they eat a piece of fruit and drink a glass of water with each piece of candy they consume. Freeze their candy for later or use it as decorations on gingerbread houses or holiday wreaths and centerpieces. Teach them to share by mailing it to the troops overseas.      

The American Heart Association provides an array of creative, healthy treats to serve this Halloween whether it’s for your family, party guests or trick-or-treaters. For more tips visit: https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/how-to-have-a-healthy-halloween

Move More This Fall Season

As cool weather is approaching, it is important to stay active during the season change. Having a year-round workout routine helps the body fight off infection, as cooler temperatures can affect our immunity, leading to an increased chance of health problems. The American Heart Association encourages all ages to eat healthy and stay active to prevent heart disease and to better one’s well-being. To maintain overall cardiovascular health, the AHA recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity at least five days a week and at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity three days a week.

One should always be prepared when planning to workout in cold weather. Layering clothes that consist of warm fabrics (fleece, activewear, waterproof) is essential as it insulates warmth, wicks away moisture, and provides protection. Accessories such as hats, gloves, and scarves are good additions to keeping warm in increased cold temperatures.

The cooler months are a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors without the heat and humidity. Some fun ways to exercise this season include jogging, hiking, and snow skiing. Activities as simple as going for a walk, raking leaves, or shoveling snow are forms of physical activity as well. If it is ever too cold outside to exercise, there are many activities that can be done indoors:

• Indoor circuit workouts
• Dancing
• Yoga or other fun group classes
• Stair climbing
• Active housework such as vacuuming and sweeping

Personally, I prefer going for a walk or jog during the fall months. While it is tempting to stay inside and watch movies when it’s cold outside, I sometimes attend group fitness classes offered at my college or work out at the gym. I really enjoy yoga and pilates as it conditions the muscles and provides relaxation.

Although cold weather decreases the chance of heat stroke, dehydration and hypothermia are possible health problems that can occur. It is crucial to stay hydrated and continue to drink water when performing any exercise routine. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature has fallen below 35 degrees Celsius or about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. The body is unable to sustain a stable internal temperature due to energy loss. Hypothermia mostly affects children and the elderly and can be fatal.

To find out more about how to move more but still stay safe and warm this season visit: http://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/getting-active/how-to-stay-active-in-cold-weather

Healthy Heart, Healthy Mind

Did you know every year an estimated 17 million strokes occur worldwide? It is the No. 2 cause of death and the leading cause of prolonged disability. Stroke is caused by an interruption of blood flow to the brain. This results in a lack of oxygen, killing many blood cells per minute. Many are prone to having a stroke, but it commonly occurs among women, people of color, and those who have high blood pressure.

It is very important to know when one is about to undergo a stroke. The F.A.S.T acronym helps to determine these symptoms:

• Face Drooping: Does one side of the face droop or is it numb? Ask the person to smile. Is the person’s smile uneven?
• Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb? Ask the person to raise both arms. Does one arm drift downward?
• Speech Difficulty: Is speech slurred? Is the person unable to speak or hard to understand? Ask the person to repeat a simple sentence, like “The sky is blue.”
• Time to Call 9-1-1: If someone shows any of these symptoms, even if the symptoms go away, call 9-1-1 and get to a hospital immediately. *Check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared.

There are many variations of stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, 87 percent of strokes are classified as ischemic. This type of stroke occurs when blood flow to the brain is inhibited by a blocked blood vessel. A hemorrhagic stroke is caused by a ruptured blood vessel spilling into the brain. About one in three ischemic strokes are classified as cryptogenic which is a stroke of an unknown cause. A TIA (transient ischemic attack) also known as a “mini stroke” or “warning stroke” is a temporary blockage with symptoms lasting less than five minutes.

Strokes can be prevented through simple healthy habits such as refraining from smoking, being physically active, having a balanced diet, and managing cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar levels.

The American Heart Association is dedicated to spreading awareness and the prevention of cardiovascular disease and stoke through World Stroke Day on October 29th. Their main mission is to encourage those who have had a stroke to consider rehabilitation to help redevelop their strength, confidence, and better manage other health conditions that raise the chances of a second stroke. In addition to World Stroke Day, the I Will Again movement motivates stroke survivors to pursue their passions despite the after effects of having a stroke. For more information on World Stroke Day, October 29th visit https://worldstrokeday.strokeassociation.org/#

Be HealthyForGood with Fruits and Vegetables!

Fruits and vegetables are essential to our daily lives. They provide nutrients needed to sustain a healthy lifestyle. Because of our busy schedules, it can be difficult at times to make healthy meal choices. Fast-food restaurants and processed foods at convenient stores may be easy, cheap and quick, but deplete our nutrient intake, which can lead to long-term health problems in the future. This has become a concern amongst adults and children across the nation.

According to the North Carolina Action Guide on Fruits and Vegetables, only 10.4% of adults meet the recommended daily fruit intake and 8.1% of adults meet the recommended vegetable intake in our state. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) states that this is due to inadequate access to affordable fruits and vegetables. This lack of access has affected the workplace, schools, and homes. As a college student, I find it expensive at times to purchase produce for just one meal. Fruits and vegetables found at grocery stores are often costly and it’s also difficult to locate farmers markets near campus. Majority of the time, I rely on take-out and microwaveable meals due to low-cost and convenience.

Getting enough fruits and vegetables isn’t just a college student’s challenge. The average adult should get five servings of vegetables and four servings of fruit per day, which may seem impossible to most busy adults. Many workplaces are considering the establishment of food service guidelines to encourage employees to make healthy food choices to improve their wellness. The American Heart Association offers a Food and Beverage Tool Kit that addresses these issues and provides sound guidelines for creating healthy vending and catering policies for employers.

Additionally, numerous organizations are working to connect with local farmers markets in order to provide better access for uptown workers and families that live in food deserts. Here are the addresses for a few of our local farmers markets:

• Charlotte Regional Farmers Market: 1801 Yorkmont Rd, Charlotte, NC 28217
  • October – April
    Tuesday – Saturday 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
  • May – September 
    Tuesday – Saturday 8:00 am – 6:00 pm
    Sunday 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm.
• Cotswold Farmers Market: 309 S Sharon Amity Rd, Charlotte, NC 28211
  • May 5 – October 27 
    Saturdays 8:00 am – 12:00 noon
• NoDa Farmers Market: 701 E 36th St, Charlotte, NC 28205
  • Saturdays 9:00 am – 12:00 noon
• Simpson’s Produce: 938 S Kings Dr, Charlotte, NC 28204
  • April – December                                                                                                Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday 8:00 am – 8:00 pm                                    Tuesday, Friday 6:00 am – 8:00 pm                                                                                  Saturday 7:00 am – 8:00 pm

In addition, during the summer months, pop-up stands can be found at Trade and Tryon Streets in uptown Charlotte and at 1600 West Trade Street from the Mecklenburg County Health Department.

Childhood obesity is continuing to affect many children within the U.S. Nearly 1 in 5 children are obese. This is due to a poor diet and insufficient physical activity. Our school systems have been working to instill healthy, lifelong eating habits by adding a variety of fruits and vegetables into snack time and meals throughout the day. The American Heart Association has advocated for lowering sodium content in school meals and continues to support keeping robust school nutrition standards in place to ensure the health and wellbeing for all children.

Here are some fun, creative ways to make snack time beneficial to your child’s diet:

• Serve the fruits and vegetables on plates with children’s characters and designs
• Cut the fruits and vegetables into fun shapes using cookie cutters
• Combine fruits and vegetables to create a scenic picture such as a beach scene or ants on a log

For more snack ideas and healthy recipes that include fruits and vegetables for your family visit heart.org.

Don’t confuse the fluttering in your heart as the butterflies in your stomach

At least 2.7 million Americans are living with Atrial Fibrillation (AFib or AF).  AFib is a quivering or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. If a clot breaks off, enters the bloodstream, and lodges in an artery that leads to the brain, this could result in a stroke. Approximately 15 to 20 percent of people who have strokes have this heart arrhythmia. This clot risk is the reason why patients with this condition are put on blood thinners.

Only 33% of AFib patients think atrial fibrillation is a serious condition and less than half of AFib patients believe they have an increased risk for stroke or heart-related hospitalizations or death. Please take AFib seriously especially if you know that you have AFib. If you feel that you may have symptoms of AFib, it does not hurt to get yourself checked out because a healthy heart helps you lead a healthier life.

Some people may feel like their heart is banging against their chest wall when they bend over, feel nauseated, light-headed, and weak. Others may feel no symptoms at all. Some of the basic symptoms of AFib include:

• General fatigue
• Rapid and irregular heartbeat
• Fluttering or “thumping” in the chest
• Dizziness
• Shortness of breath and anxiety
• Faintness or confusion
• *Chest pain or pressure

*Chest pain or pressure is a medical emergency. You may be having a heart attack. Call 911 immediately.

Prevention and risk reduction of the symptoms above include, trying to normalize one’s heart rate which could then minimize the risk of blood clots and therefore stroke, preventing additional heart rhythm problems, and preventing heart failure. Lowering your stroke risk can be as simple as foregoing your morning cup of coffee, which means that some cases of AFib are only as strong as their causes. Doctor’s also use a variety of medications to control the heart rate in someone with AFib.

Visit https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/atrial-fibrillation to learn more about AFib, different types of AFib, symptoms, treatment, and risk reduction.

Genes can bring you more than good things

In the United States alone, an estimated 1.3 million people live with Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH), yet only 10 percent of those people are diagnosed. FH is a genetic disorder characterized by high cholesterol levels. FH is caused by a mutation in the gene for the LDL, or bad cholesterol, cholesterol receptor, which is involved in passing LDL from the body. Average LDL cholesterol levels are around 130 mg/dL. LDL cholesterol levels should be less than 100 mg/dL and levels of 100 to 129 mg/dL are acceptable for those with no health issues, but if your LDL levels are higher than 100 mg/dL and you have the FH gene then you could be at risk for heart disease.

Nearly 2 million people in the United States might have FH and not even know that they do. FH runs in families and even if one parent has FH, each child has a 50 percent chance of having FH. FH is treatable if it is found early. If found early, serious problems of the heart and blood vessels may be prevented or dramatically delayed by taking steps to protect yourself. These steps include:

• Not smoking

• Exercising regularly

• Eating a healthy diet low in saturated and trans fats

• Taking medications

• Going on LDL-apheresis

If left FH is untreated, men have a 50 percent rise of having a heart attack by age 50. Untreated women have a 30 percent risk by the age of 60.

Nearly 100 percent of people with FH will require cholesterol-lowering medications. For some people with FH, more aggressive measures are needed, including LDL-apheresis. LDL-apheresis is a very simple procedure in which LDL-C cholesterol is removed from the blood on a weekly or biweekly basis.

Take the necessary steps to live a healthier lifestyle today! If a family has a pattern of early heart attacks or heart disease defined as before the age of 55 for men and 65 for women, children in that family should have cholesterol testing. Learn more about familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), testing yourself, and testing your family tree early at: https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cholesterol/about-cholesterol.

When Artery Disease Hides Somewhere Other Than Your Heart

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) affects 8 to 12 million people in the United States, especially those over 50 years of age, according to the NIH. What is PAD might you ask? PAD is the narrowing of the peripheral arteries to the legs, stomach, arms and head, most commonly in the arteries of the legs. The most common symptoms of PAD involving the lower extremities are cramping, pain or tiredness in the leg or hip muscles while walking or climbing stairs. The pain usually goes away with rest but returns when you start to walk again.

PAD is dangerous because these blockages can restrict circulation to the limbs, organs and brain. Without adequate blood flow in your body, your vital organs, arms, and legs suffer damage. Left untreated, the tissue in your vital organs, arms, and legs can become infected or die, resulting in a condition called gangrene. PAD is also the first warning sign of atherosclerosis, which is chronic fatty deposit build-ups.

It is important for you to know the symptoms of PAD because many people mistake the symptoms of PAD for something else. PAD also often goes undiagnosed by healthcare professionals. It is also just as important for you to know the risk factors of PAD, especially the ones that you can control. If you smoke and/or have diabetes, then you might be at an especially high risk for PAD and should get screened for PAD even if you do not have any symptoms.

Certain risk factors for PAD can’t be controlled. These uncontrollable risk factors include aging, personal or family history of PAD, cardiovascular disease or stroke. There are still other risk factors that can be controlled. There are also many prevention methods for PAD, which include physical activity, a healthy diet, smoke cessation, managing diabetes, etcetera. Visit https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/peripheral-artery-disease to learn more about PAD, what might be putting you at risk and how you can avoid that risk starting today.

Life is Why we Walk: Donate, Volunteer, Walk!

Heart disease and stroke are the nations No.1 and No. 5 killers. Part of the American Heart Association’s mission is to reduce disability and deaths caused by heart disease and stroke. The Greater Charlotte Heart Walk is the premier event for raising funds to save lives from these silent killers. The Heart Walk will be held at First Ward Park in Uptown Charlotte on Saturday September 29^th. The event will include a 3-mile non-competitive walk and a Kids Heart Challenge race and obstacle course for children ages 5 to 12. Traditional sponsored tents in the health expo area will include activities such as zumba, yoga, jump rope, Hula-hoop, giant Twister game, CPR demonstrations, blood pressure screenings, and stationary cycles.

The Heart Walk is part of the American Heart Association’s Healthy for Good movement. This movement has four pillars: eat smart, add color, move more, and be well. Each year this event brings people into uptown Charlotte and unites them around the goal of making healthier choices each day. Imagine what could happen if enough research could be done to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease. Families would suffer less devastation, our communities would be healthier, and ultimately less lives would be lost. Funds raised through Heart Walk go toward groundbreaking science, educational outreach and important advocacy efforts to improve the health of all Charlotteans.

Before becoming an intern with the American Heart Association the thought of heart disease and stroke is something that rarely crossed my mind. Interning here has really opened my eyes to how these diseases affect the Charlotte community and the country. Heart disease touches one in three Americans. It has probably already impacted someone you know.

One of my favorite things that I learned about while interning was regarding the social determinants of health. Did you know that access to healthy food, economic mobility, access to parks for physical activity, homelessness, mental health, and many other factors play a role in the chances of someone developing heart disease or stroke? These problems often start within the streets and neighborhoods of our community. The Greater Charlotte Heart Walk will provide education on some of these issues. Information will be provided about making healthy food choices, gaining cheap and easy access to healthy food, opportunities to participate in exercise that could have a lasting impact, as well as opportunities to connect with other members of the Charlotte community who can assist you with your family’s health journey. The Heart Walk is definitely something I will encourage my friends and family to consider and that I will be participating in, as well.

Together, we can help fundraise to fight heart disease and stroke. Hearts are beating thanks to research from your donations. Activities begin at 7:30am and the Heart Walk begins at 9:00am! Sign up to walk or donate at www.charlotteheartwalk.org