The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans

**The winner has been chosen! See down below in the comments to see if it’s you!**

Are you aware that heart disease is the number one killer of women in America? Cardiovascular disease includes diseases of the heart and blood vessels. Most heart and blood vessel problems slowly build up over a long period of time and involves plaque building up inside of your arteries. Think of it this way:  Plaque is made up of bad stuff like fat, cholesterol, and other substances. This plaque keeps building up and narrows the space allowed for your blood. This plaque may eventually rupture and cause blood clots to form, which may block blood flow. A woman will suffer from a stroke or a heart attack if these clots block the blood flow to the heart or brain.

What To Look For:

If a stroke occurs, the blood supply to the brain is blocked. Oxygen and nutrients can’t get to the brain, and it starts to die. Often times, strokes cause paralysis, vision problems, and severely affect speech and motor skills. Warning signs:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm, or leg… especially on just one side of the body.
• Sudden confusion, difficulty speaking and understanding.
• Sudden vision problems.
• Sudden trouble walking or balancing. Loss of coordination. Dizziness.
• A sudden, severe headache that cannot be attributed to any known cause.

Time is of the essence. A clot-busting drug can be given within the first 3 hours of symptom onset, which may reduce the long-term disability for the most common type of stroke.

When we think of heart attacks, we tend to think of someone having intense chest pain and dropping to the floor. That can happen, but most come on more slowly than that and the person affected may only have minor pain and discomfort. As with a stroke, early treatment is the key. Some possible signs (women are MORE likely than men to experience other signs besides chest pain):

• Chest discomfort.
• Shortness of breath.
• Discomfort in the upper body (arms, neck, jaw, stomach, shoulders…)
• Other signs may include sweating, nausea, and/or feeling lightheaded.

Call 9-1-1 immediately if you think you or someone you know may be experiencing symptoms of a stroke or heart attack.

Ways to Improve Your Cardiovascular Health:

• Know your numbers.

1. Your total cholesterol should be under 200 mg/dL.
2. Your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels should be under 160 mg/dL if you are a low-risk for heart disease, below 130 mg/dL if you are medium-risk, and if you are high-risk, your LDL level should be under 100 mg/dL.
3. The HDL (good) levels for women should be 50 mg/dL (40 mg/dL for men).
4. Triglycerides should be under 150 mg/dL.

• Know your blood pressure. Less than 120/80 mmHg is ideal. High blood pressure is the single largest risk factor for stroke.
• Stop smoking. Yes, I know it’s hard. I’ve been there. But if I can do it, so can you.
• Reduce stress.
• Limit alcohol.
• Manage diabetes.
• Make your nutrition a priority. Think veggies, fruit, fiber, whole-grains, and lean proteins. You know the drill. Practicing good nutrition will also help you get to and maintain a healthy weight!
• Exercise! I cannot stress enough how important physical activity is for your heart. The American Heart Association recommends that people of ages 18-65 be getting at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity 5 or more days a week! Physical activity makes for a happy heart!

In honor of Women’s Heart Health week, The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans and Timex are bringing you a heart-happy giveaway! The Timex Ironman brand offers a line of heart rate monitors that are affordable, accurate, and comfortable. These devices can help you reach your maximum exercise potential. The watches are sleek and stylish and they come with a chest monitor that transmits your heart rate data to the watch.

I took my Timex Ironman Race Trainer to the gym last Friday for it’s maiden voyage. Setup was easy, as long as you follow the directions. I especially love that the watch is not bulky, as are some of the other brands I have used. Both the watch and the chest strap were comfortable while I was working out on the elliptical. I was completely amazed at how many calories I burned during my workout -it was MUCH more than the machines reported. I plan to use my Timex heart rate monitor through the duration of my 1/2 marathon training! Stay tuned!

Timex is giving one lucky reader the opportunity to win either the Ironman Road Trainer or the Ironman Race Trainer for more serious athletes (your choice!). To enter, answer this question:  When was the last time you had your cholesterol and blood pressure checked?

For extra entries:

• Tweet about this giveaway (once per day). Example:  Be good to your heart. Timex and @shrinkingjeans are giving away an Ironman heart rate monitor. Enter here: http://bit.ly/9lRl92
• Vow to have visit your doctor in February and have your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers checked.
• Become a fan of Timex Sports on Facebook.
• Post a heart-healthy recipe on the ‘hood recipe forum (once per day).
• Wear red on February 5th to raise awareness on Women’s Heart Disease.

This contest will run through 11:59 pm Pacific time on Saturday, February 6th. A winner will be randomly selected and announced the following day. If winner does not respond to email within 48 hours or does not leave a valid email address, a new winner will be selected. Contest open to U.S. residents only.

Full disclosure:  Timex provided me with an Ironman Race Trainer for review purposes and is providing another for giveaway. No monetary compensation was given.

Source: American Heart Association