Putnam General Hospital, with support from The Artisans Village Guild of Eatonton, hosted the 8th annual Heart & Art event on Feb. 23, in support of the American Heart Association's “Go Red for Women” campaign.
Aimed at promoting heart disease prevention and stroke awareness in women, Dr. Kimberly Phillips gave a presentation at the hospital in Eatonton, discussing sleep habits, diet, exercise, and unique life events that can impact a woman's risk of cardiovascular disease, including pregnancy and menopause.
Phillips also challenged those in attendance to learn about and know their risks for heart disease and stroke, and then take steps to reduce those factors.
The Artisans Guild's Nancy Bolen was the art instructor, and she brought along six other guild members for assistance. Participants then created a wide variety of artworks to take home after enjoying a catered heart-healthy dinner of chicken salad, a croissant, broccoli salad, apples, and dessert, by Dorothy Farley of PGH.
Many of the facts presented during Heart & Art were quite alarming, including heart disease is the leading cause of death for American women and cardiovascular disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined. In the United States, someone has a heart attack about every 40 seconds and one in three U.S. women will die of cardiovascular disease.
Women with diabetes are particularly at risk for heart disease, being three times more likely to suffer a heart attack.
A stroke also is a serious heart-related health risk for U.S. women, as one in five women between ages 55 and 75 will suffer a stroke, which also represents the third-leading cause of death for women in this country. Women suffering from depression are at an increased risk for stroke, too.
So, what can be done? Simply put, when it comes to food, know your numbers. Eat one-ingredient foods, meaning avoid foods with large amounts of added sugar, salt, starch, and processed foods.
Exercise for just three hours each week has been proven beneficial for keeping heart disease at bay. It can be broken down, too, to possibly three one-hour sessions, six 30-minute sessions, or even a dozen 15-minute sessions weekly.
Also, painting and other relaxing activities can lower both stress hormones and blood pressure, which can help with overall heart health.