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Wednesday, May 6, 2009

B Healthy - Heart Disease Is No Joke!


I’ve been visiting a friend in the hospital for the past couple of days; luckily she’ll be fine as long as she changes her diet. At only age 29, she suffered a mild heart attack last week Thursday. This has been a wake-up call to my friends and I. She’s what you would consider a thick chick, which a lot of black females think is cute because the guys like it. But it isn’t cute when you’re up in the hospital suffering from heart disease.
Heart Disease is the #1 killer of women in the United States. I personally feel like African-American women do not take this disease seriously enough, and wait long before it’s too late. We have mostly our diets to blame, Mac & Cheese (my favorite), Fried Chicken, and Candied Yams are real good to our taste buds, but not good for our hearts. Foods high in saturated fats (mostly animal products, processed, and pre-packaged foods) are harmful to the maintenance of a healthy heart. Obviously, smoking is a no-no. I realize now-a-days African-American women are proud of their voluptuous bodies, which is absolutely great. But please realize that extreme obesity is just not conducive to your overall health.



Here are some facts you should know, according to Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield:
•African-American women face a greater threat of death from heart disease than women of other races.
•The prevalence of Cardiovascular Disease in African-American women is 44.7% compared to 32.4% in White Women.
•77.2% of African-American women 20 and older are overweight or obese.
•33.9% of African-American women are inactive compared to 21.6% of white women.
Care for your heart by limiting greasy fried foods, sweet desserts, and adding as much fruit, vegetables, and water to your diet as you can. Being active is a big plus! Leave the car at home sometimes and walk to the store or just walk around the block. For your heart’s sake!

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