Keystone Villa in Douglasville recently held its annual Community Health Fair. (Courtesy of Keystone Villa)
In hopes of helping people start the new season with a healthier lifestyle this spring, Keystone Villa in Douglasville recently held a community health fair that is free to the public.
Since February is American Heart Month, one of the topics of focus was heart health. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, heart disease is the leading cause of death in women, so now is the time to encourage everyone, especially women, to pay attention to their cardiovascular health.
The team from Pottstown Hospital/Tower Health was in attendance to perform free blood pressure tests, answer questions from attendees, and provide valuable information about the prevention and treatment of heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure.
“We hope attendees will remember that Pottstown Hospital's critical care team is part of their medical team,” said Rebecca Asher, Pottstown Hospital's chest pain coordinator. “We want to work with them to prevent disease. By making small changes, like adding an exercise regimen or incorporating more fresh foods into their diet, they can improve their overall health. can have a huge impact.”
good news for mental health
Keystone hosted monthly talks on heart health before hosting its annual wellness fair.
“It's important for residents to know what resources are available for their health,” said Donna MacDonald, director of lifestyle and leisure for the independent living wing at Keystone Villas.
Retirement communities regularly incorporate heart-healthy food options into their meal services. Meals are healthier variations on the day's menu, including meat entrees that are seared instead of fried, but not paired with rich sauces.
According to the American Heart Association, a healthy diet and lifestyle are key to preventing and managing cardiovascular disease. The dietary pattern they recommend includes a wide variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and products made primarily of whole grains, healthy protein sources, minimally processed foods, and minimal intake of added sugars. It emphasizes reduced foods, foods prepared with little or no salt, and restricted or restricted foods. If possible, avoid alcohol and consume liquid non-tropical vegetable oils.
Keystone Villas also provides residents with a consistent way to engage in physical activity, another important component of maintaining heart health.
“We have exercise classes every day and do physical activity twice a day to motivate them to stay healthy,” McDonald said.
regular exercise
Johns Hopkins Medicine highlighted the fact that numerous studies have shown that people who exercise regularly are less likely to suffer a sudden heart attack or other life-threatening cardiac events.
“While exercise has its own benefits, the best way to prevent heart disease is to combine exercise with a healthy diet,” the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine says on its website.
In addition to heart health, the Keystone Health Fair also featured other areas of health.
“This fair covers all aspects of mental, emotional, mental and physical health,” McDonald said. “All of these things combine to make you healthy.”
health sector vendors
Local businesses participated in the fair, including Kimberton Whole Foods in Douglasville, offering clementines and store coupons. Other vendors in the health field who participated with information tables containing valuable resources included Performance Spine and Sports Physicians, Fox Rehabilitation, Medicine Shop Pharmacy of Boyertown, Ucha Hearing Aids, and AccentCare Home Health. , Suburban Geriatrics, Tri-County Home Health, Encompass Health, Chestnut Knoll, Suncrest Hospice, H2 Health and more.
In addition to the free blood pressure screening, other free screenings for participants included balance and falls and incontinence screening.
McDonald looks forward to seeing the fair grow each year and is excited about the positive impact it can have.
“The hope is that they might be able to adapt some of these things and live a healthier lifestyle,” McDonald said.
Recognize symptoms of heart disease
In some cases, heart disease may be “silent” and not diagnosed until you experience signs and symptoms of a heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia. When these events occur, you may experience symptoms such as:
Heart attack: Chest pain or discomfort, upper back or neck pain, indigestion, heartburn, nausea or vomiting, extreme fatigue, upper body discomfort, dizziness or shortness of breath.
Arrhythmia: Heart pounding (palpitations).
Heart failure: Shortness of breath, fatigue, or swelling of the veins in the feet, ankles, legs, abdomen, or neck.
heart disease risk factors
High blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and smoking are major risk factors for heart disease. About half (47%) of Americans have at least one of these three risk factors. Several other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also increase your risk of heart disease. These include:
• Diabetes
• Overweight and obesity
• Unhealthy eating habits
• Lack of exercise
• Excessive alcohol intake
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
know your numbers
To maintain and improve your heart health, there are four numbers you need to know and monitor regularly. Knowing this important information can help you identify your risk for heart disease, manage your health, and be proactive about living a more heart-healthy lifestyle. These numbers are blood pressure, blood sugar, body mass index (BMI), and cholesterol.
Source: C. Skye McDonnell BSN, RN, CHFN, Heart Failure Program Manager at Reading Hospital/Tower Health).
