Protect your Heart, Protect Your Brain

As an extension of the four-part vision of A Woman’s Business to Reveal, Restore, Release and Replicate, every third and fourth Monday of the month #HeartofaWoman bloggers profile a woman, cause and/or organization that in our eyes is “About A Woman’s Business” to change perception and restore the position of women around the world by addressing causes of interest to and affecting us. Know of a woman or cause About A Woman’s Business? Tell us!  Share your thoughts and send your suggestions to submissions@awomansbusiness.org.

In February, in acknowledgement of American Heart Month, A Woman’s Business featured Natalie Pierson, RN, BSN, who opened our eyes to the leading killer of women, heart disease. In this feature, we are continuing our commitment to raise awareness about stroke and heart disease.

She is hardly recognizable, as I watch my mother her from across the room lying in the hospital bed hooked up to tubes and beeping machines. She doesn’t resemble the woman with the terrifying facial expressions capable of stopping my brothers and I in our tracks when we were children behaving badly. Instead, the woman I’m staring at isn’t strong or full of life at all. The woman lying in the bed is scared, she is anxious and vulnerable. My mother’s current health crisis is a result of a stroke that provided no warning signs, and no symptoms, other than the stroke itself.

My mother’s stroke occurred while I was on the phone with her from my home in NJ and she at home in MD.  We were laughing about something silly when suddenly there was panic in her voice, something was wrong.  A stroke is a disease of the blood vessels of the brain that leads to brain damage. Test confirmed the stroke was caused by a 100% blockage of her left carotid artery and a 70% blockage of the right artery that supplies blood and oxygen to her brain.

According to the American Heart Association, 1 in 3 women will die of heart disease or stroke. Think how realistic these statistics are when visualizing the faces of the precious gems in your life. Even worse news, stroke kills twice as many women as breast cancer.

Why is stoke and heart disease a woman’s realty? Research shows that women are less knowledgeable about the risk factors.  Insomnia, depression and anxiety are a few contributing factors which significantly raise our stroke risk. The greater the anxiety level, the higher risk of having a stroke. What life style changes strategies should you implement to reduce your risk for stroke or heart disease?

Jeremiah 33:6

“Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security”

The stroke was is a wakeup call. For several years, my mother failed to heed her doctor’s counsel to manage her blood pressure and cholesterol levels. My mother was aware that maintaining an appropriate weight and eating a heart-healthy diet, she could significantly reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. God has gifted my mother with a new Beginning and for that we are all tremendously grateful.

My mother is recovering and is committed to life style changes, partnering with a team of physicians and nutritionist to manage her health.

Interested in learning more about reducing your risk, managing the disease or how to care for a loved one? Call 1-888-4-Stroke or visit the StrokeAssociation.org. For information about heart disease, how to prevent it and/or play an active role in the Go Red campaign, visit www.goredforwomen.org