#heartfoundation

[quillenray]

LIFE SERIES SH!T POSTS #2!!!!!!

hell yeah lets GO, a reblog and a like would be greatly appreciated to support my good(bad) sense of humor

[aussie-stars-tv]

Great being part of the #activeaustralia #innovationchallenge with the #heartfoundation #starstv #googlepixel (at STARS Marsfield) https://www.instagram.com/p/CH9XDGuDs4e/?igshid=b6x9njs3hxw7

[bradmcewen]

Every week, three young Australians under the age of 35 lose their lives to sudden cardiac death. That’s 150 young people every year that don’t get the chance to experience some of life’s most heart-warming moments as their lives are tragically cut short. ❤️ Sudden cardiac death usually occurs abruptly, during sleep or rest, without warning, and is largely unexplained, taking the life of someone who seems healthy. ❤️ There are significant gaps in understanding the causes of sudden cardiac death in young people. That’s why our focus is on high-impact research into prevention, diagnosis and treatment of heart conditions, such as sudden cardiac death to prevent more young Australians from dying. ❤️ Give with Heart Day ❤️ @heartfoundationau #GiveWithHeartDay #heartfoundationau #heart #heartfoundation #cardiovasculardisease #cardiovascular #research #health #healthy #healthydiet #healthylife #healthyliving #healthyheart #nutrition #nutritionist #foodie #exercise #fitness #fitspo #instahealth #naturopathy #naturalhealth #cardiomyopathy #cardiometabolic https://www.instagram.com/p/B2jL0-Mgva1/?igshid=dq2njluk9211

[kelliejean74]

Heart of the matter

A couple of Saturday’s ago, my Mum had a heart attack.My Mum is 68 years old, and has, for most of her life, been in particularly good health. For as long as I can remember, Mum has taken very good care of herself. It has only been in recent years that her health has somewhat declined, but through no fault of her own. She developed arthritis about 15 years ago, and has been battling the disease as it progressively gets worse as she ages. 

But absolutely nothing prepared any of us for the phone calls that Saturday. I was the first to receive the call, as the oldest child, and the only one in Adelaide, the ambulance service called me when they arrived at the hospital with Mum. Of course, protocol dictated that they not tell me anything except that Mum was in hospital, and that I should get there as soon as I could. Well, after having lost my Dad to cancer, and not seeing him at the hospital before he died, I panicked and got myself there as soon as I could. Then the ER staff couldn’t tell me anything when I arrived. 

When I finally got taken to see a doctor, all he did was say “she’s had a heart attack”, and walked away. That’s it? Nothing else mister doctor? Nope. It was left to an ER nurse to reassure me that Mum was ok, Mum was still alive, and she had been taken to have a stent put in her heart. The absolute gall of the doctor to not give me any reassurance that Mum was still alive, still gets to me today. All he cared about was... well, I’m not sure what he cared about to be honest. 

The same ER nurse took me aside and explained what had happened as best she knew the circumstances. Mum had come in to the ER in the middle of her heart attack, doctors quickly identified that they needed to work fast, and got her to surgery to clear the blockage to Mum’s heart. I was taken to Mum’s room to wait for her, and make the first of those frightening phone calls, based on the little information I had. I called my sister-in-law after failing to get through to my brother, and she was the first of everyone to wonder if I was having her on. Mum couldn’t be having a heart attack. She was the last person any of us ever expected this to happen to. My brother echoed her words pretty soon after, as did my auntie, cousin, and Dad’s side of the family when I told them. 

It was absolutely stunning to see Mum arrive back in her room after having the stent put in her heart, she was nothing of the happy, healthy person I knew. It felt like a wake up call that she was lucky to have made it out alive, and things could easily have gone the other way. As I was to find out later, this was so very true in every sense of the word. If Mum had not identified that her symptoms were more than unusual, and had the sense to finally call the ambulance, she most likely would have died, probably in her apartment, all alone. 

Which brings me to the true heart of the matter. Never, ever be afraid to seek help if you need it. Do not ever think you are wasting anyone’s time if you think your health is in danger. The signs and symptoms of heart attack vary greatly, so do not ever go believing that what you see on tv is ever the truth. Television portrays heart attack as pain in the chest, arm, and difficulty breathing. This may be true for a small portion of the population, and then mostly men. Women, like my Mum, have very different symptoms. Lethargy, difficulty doing tasks without having to sit down and rest, a tiny pain in your chest, and an extremely sore throat were the only signs that something was out of place for Mum that Saturday. But things had been building up over time, leading to what we can only assume were early warning signs of heart problems. We believe the lethargy and lack of energy were early signs that something was not quite right. As it turns out, this was quite the case. Seeing the extent of the blockage and talking to another ER nurse a few days later, Mum was extremely lucky.

I want to make sure that if anyone reads this post, and has read this far gets a message. Heart problems run in families. If you know of a parent, sibling, first cousin, aunt or uncle who has had heart issues, please speak to your GP about getting tested for potential issues yourself. Check your cholesterol, this one is true, high cholesterol lead to Mum’s heart attack. Anything above 4 (in Australia) on the cholesterol testing scale is a potential trigger for a heart attack. Mum’s was 6.5, meaning even the healthiest people can still have high cholesterol. And do not ever, ever feel afraid to contact your local emergency services if you feel there is something seriously wrong. It was the best thing Mum did, and the reason she is still with us today.

I don’t know if anyone is going to read this, but if anyone does, and it makes you think about your health, I wish you all the luck in the world in getting treated early to avoid the panic we went through when we thought we would lose Mum. She made it out ok, is on medication for the rest of her life, but is still with us. For that I am forever grateful.

[utrechtcentral]

Utrecht working towards a smoke-free generation

There has been much progress made in the effort to ban smoking since last year. At this moment, there are over 1,000 outdoor sports grounds in the Netherlands where smoking is prohibited. An organisation call the 'De Rookvrije Generatie', literally translated to 'The Smoke Free Generation', are striving to have generations of children who are not affected by smokers. Thanks to their efforts, the number of smoke-free sports clubs is increasing rapidly. Since the 1st of September of last year, the number of sport clubs in the Netherlands where smoking was prohibited stood at 550; that number has almost doubled since. In Utrecht the number stands at 106; an increase of 40 clubs compared to September last year. The number of non-smoking sports grounds is good news for children in the Netherlands - Floris Italianer, director of the Heart Foundation and chairman of the Smoke Free Alliance of the Netherlands The increase is partly due to the support and mutual cooperation of sports associations and municipalities. Social support for smoke-free areas, including sports grounds, is also on the increase. No fewer than 84% of Dutch people want to have sports grounds where children are unaffected by tobacco smoke. The findings are based on a study published on Monday commissioned by the Smoke Free Alliance of the Netherlands. Floris Italianer, director of the Heart Foundation and chairman of the Smoke Free Alliance of the Netherlands, is proud of the milestone. "Almost doubling the number of non-smoking sports grounds is good news for children in the Netherlands. The more areas that are non-smoking, the fewer children come into contact with smoking. The steady growth and the many good examples make it increasingly easier for sports clubs to follow the trend and also become smoke-free. Ultimately, we want to ensure that it is normal not to smoke at a sports club. And that is going in the right direction," Floris commented in a statement. Read the full article

[utrechtcentral]

Free blood pressure check for residents of Utrecht

From Monday 27 May, you can have your blood pressure measured - free of charge - at various locations in Utrecht. It is important to know your blood pressure. You don't feel high blood pressure, but it does increase the risk of heart or vascular disease. For example, it can lead to a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. That is why the Heart Foundation calls for regular blood pressure measurements. If necessary, people can then take timely measures to bring blood pressure back to a healthy level. To make the measurement accessible to everyone, the Heart Foundation is setting up blood pressure measurement points in public places, such as supermarkets and libraries, from 27 May to 8 June. Residents in Utrecht can have their blood pressure checked for free at one of the 17 locations. Many Dutch people do not know that they have high blood pressure, and therefore an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Research by the Heart Foundation shows that 1 in 3 Dutch people aged 30 to 70 have high blood pressure. Some of them use medication or have adjusted their lifestyle to bring blood pressure to a healthy level. However, around 40% do not know that they have high blood pressure. These are around 1.2 million Dutch people. The Heart Foundation therefore wants to encourage people to have their blood pressure measured. David Smeekes, general practitioner working for the Heart Foundation mentions, “It is important to know your blood pressure from the age of 40, even if you are healthy. Because you do not feel high blood pressure, but it does increase your risk of heart or vascular disease. For example, it can lead to a heart attack, stroke or heart failure. That is why the Heart Foundation is calling for you to regularly have your blood pressure measured. Just like you sometimes stand on a scale. That way you can take timely measures to get your blood pressure to a healthy level if necessary. " Support the The Heart Foundation today by making a donation! Read the full article

[eventtrailltravel]

Does this pizza makes me look THIN? Having some Skinny Pizza before the Wall Street Heart Run/ Walk. #wallstreet #heartfoundation #walk/run #lowermanhattan #i❤NY #jpmc #NY #eventtraill #eventtrailltravel (at New York, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bxi9CwpFCk2/?igshid=j0zwz0ul2c8w

[fire-international-blog]

#devistated rip to the anvil. One of my favorites. #heartfoundation #hartfoundationforever https://www.instagram.com/p/BmbpsdJHJxj/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=iw9hs0tfgbyx