National Heart Month

Happy National Heart Month!

Red sweeps the nation this month to raise awareness for heart disease and stroke. According to the American Stroke Association, heart disease still remains the #1 cause of death in the nation while stroke has fallen to #5. What's so sad is that, in most cases, heart disease and stroke are 100% preventable.

I say in most cases because in situations like mine, where there was a congenital heart defect involved, there was probably little we could do to prevent my stroke. 

Stroke still remains the leading cause of disability and the victims of stroke are getting younger and younger. So while the death rate may be decreasing the occurrence of stroke is actually increasing. The drop in the mortality rate due to stroke is due in part to better health care and, possibly, because of the increase of stroke in younger generations. Let's face it, younger people just bounce back faster. But stroke is still on the rise in older generations because we are living longer lives.

So why are younger people having strokes? Obesity? Diabetes? Fatty diets? Un-diagnosed congenital heart defects? Ignorance?

I applaud the American Heart and the American Stroke Association for bringing such serious issues to light. And please, go RED for hearts everywhere. You just might save a life.