May | National Stroke Awareness Month

May is National Stroke Awareness Month and I’m doing all I can to help raise awareness of the Number 5 cause of death (Number 3 for women!) and the leading cause of disability in the U.S.

I’ve been talking to my friends at the American Stroke Association, a division of the American Heart Association, and I’m passing along some information they’ve shared.

Thankfully, a large majority of stokes can be prevented. It goes without saying that we should take good care of ourselves; proper nutrition and exercise, along with getting the right amount of Zzzz’s is so important!

You and your health care professional should act as a team! Having a good relationship with your family doctor and understanding your risk factors is another step you can take to reduce your chance of a stroke.

Some risk factors are controllable and treatable, while others aren’t. Things like knowing where your blood pressure’s at and taking measures to keep it in a healthy range can help to keep you healthy, happy and here with your loved ones for years to come. High blood pressure is the Number 1 preventable cause of stroke and there are safe and effective treatments available to keep it in check.

Not to be alarmist, but stroke actually kills more women than men. In fact, one in five women between the ages of 55 and 75 will have a stroke. Take this seriously my friends. Learning how to spot a stroke F.A.S.T. could save a life - maybe your own!

• F- Face Drooping

• A- Arm Weakness

• S- Speech Difficulty

• T- Time to Call 911

A stroke can happen to anyone, at any age, but most of us don’t know the F.A.S.T. warning signs. Because strokes need immediate medical help, recognizing the signs and acting F.A.S.T. can minimize the long-term effects of a stroke and even prevent death.

Having a stroke puts you at higher risk for a second one. This stroke month let’s come together to defeat stroke by acting F.A.S.T. Your health is in your hands. There’s loads of information and support at Stroke.org/StrokeMonth including checklists and information for healthy living tips. Visit them today.

April showers have delivered May flowers and this timely message. The HCA Healthcare Foundation is proud to be a national supporter of the American Stroke Association’s Together to End Stroke®.

Sending heartfelt wishes for happy and healthy days ahead,

The Heartbeat of Motherhood - with the American Heart Association

My mother was a powerhouse of love and industry.

She raised 4 children and never sat still long. She was always cooking, canning, making, baking, sewing, crafting, gardening or planning. She was always doing for others, volunteering at her kids schools or for the many community clubs and organizations she belonged to. She rarely took time for herself, and I believe that contributed to her early death at age 57.

Cancer took my beloved mother, but previously she had suffered a serious heart attack that did lasting damage and prevented her from living her life to the fullest.

I wish my mother had known that heart disease is a woman’s greatest threat, and the warning signs of heart attack and stroke, so that she could have made lifestyle choices to control some risks, as well as getting the tests and treatments she needed.

I don’t know if my mother would be with us today if she had, but I know that her life while she was still here would have been better for it!

I think of my mom every day, but try to do something each Mother’s Day that would make her smile. I’ve found a great way this year - donating in her name to the American Heart Association. You can do this for your mom too!

They have wonderful supporters in Valerie and Lee Shapiro, who are matching all digital donations up to $500,000, so our contributions can go twice as far! When you donate, you get to choose an e-card to send to your mom, or a mother-figure in your life, letting her know of the special and meaningful way you are honoring her on Mother’s Day - and everyday - while helping so many in her name! Go here to make your donation:

One very special group of women this will help is expectant mothers. Did you know that cardiovascular disease is sadly the number 1 killer of new moms and accounts for 1/3 of maternal deaths? I was shocked to hear that statistic! It’s so critical for women to learn their risk factors and prioritize their own health before, during and after pregnancy. For themselves and their babies!!

I'm teaming up with the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement to spread awareness about the connection between pregnancy and cardiovascular health. I know you and your mom will agree, losing even one mom is too many. We have to reclaim today for a better tomorrow and there’s another really powerful way we can do that this May.

We’re encouraging women to learn important health numbers that can help them determine their risk for heart disease: total cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and body mass index ​​(BMI).

Knowing your numbers can allow you to take action early, address your personal risk factors, and lower your chance of developing heart disease later in life.

Are you taking care of yourself? Do you know the risk factors and steps you can take to minimize the chance that you will suffer a serious cardiac event or stroke? If you’ve never given it much thought before, please do so now!

If you are someone like my mom, who had a hard time thinking of herself because her life was one of selfless commitment, please think of all those who would be devastated if harm were to come to you. Do it for you, do it for them.

Take care of yourself and the heart that beats so strongly for the ones you love!