Get the facts about heart disease

JUST THE FACTS — 1 IN 3 ODDS FOR HEART DISEASE: 2 WOMEN WILL LIVE, 1 WILL DIE

Think about two women in your life that are important to you – friends, family members, or co-workers. Odds are that out of the three of you, one will develop some form of heart disease in the course of your life. Even scarier is that this disease can kill you! Heart disease and stroke are the No. 1 killers of women, killing nearly twice as many women as all forms of cancer. You probably know how to take care of your outer body and to manage your weight, but taking care of your inner body may seem more difficult. It's a misconception that adopting a "healthy lifestyle" takes too much time. While it's easy to say that tomorrow is a better time to start, it's up to you to choose to start changing now. Heart and blood vessel problems happen as we age, but if you can stay healthy until you turn 50, your chances of developing heart disease drastically decrease. 

Over 7 weeks with the Better U program, you will learn your personal risk of heart disease and stroke and small changes you can make to live a stronger, longer life. Knowing what you need to do is not enough. Choose to start incorporating new, healthier behaviors into your life today. 

DID YOU KNOW?  SIGNS OF A HEART ATTACK.

While some heart attacks are sudden and intense (like in the movies!), most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often, women having a heart attack aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help. Knowing these signs can help you spot when a heart attack may be happening: 

• Discomfort in the chest or other areas of the upper body
• Shortness of breath
• Other signs of discomfort like breaking a cold sweat, nausea and lightheadedness

If someone has signs of a heart attack, 9-1-1 should be called immediately for help. If someone loses responsiveness or stops breathing, an AED (automated external defibrillator) should be used (if available) or CPR performed, in addition to calling 9-1-1.

Click here to view the PowerPoint slides from week one of the BetterU program.