Page 16 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - January 2020 - 27-01
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 Page 16
Senior Times - January 2020
Bringing New Life to Senior Living
“I am proud to provide the residents of Brookdale
with quality, nutritious meals, that enrich and help them maintain healthy lives. Witnessing their satisfaction
and enjoyment is why I wouldn’t want to do anything else.” Sherry Connell , Dining Service Director
Our Services
Assisted Living | Specialized Memory Care Respite | On-Site Physical & Occupational Therapy
Brookdale Battle Creek
Assisted Living Alzheimer’s & Dementia Care 191 Lois Drive, Battle Creek, MI 49015-7933 Main 269-979-7781 | Fax 269-979-1514 brookdale.com
BROOKDALE® is a trademark of
Brookdale Senior Living Inc., Nashville, TN, USA.
900 Territorial Road W, Battle Creek, Michigan 49015 Call 269-968-0300 or lakeviewmgr@gmail.com
An apartment community for seniors 55 and older
(Between Capital Avenue and 20th Street)
New Year’s Greetings From Our Home To Yours!
DISEASE IMPACTING
By: Sherii Sherban, Publisher
675 Wagner Dr, Battle Creek, MI (269) 969-6244 www.advantageliving.net
Short Term Rehab | Spacious Private Rooms Specialized Alzheimer’s | Dementia Unit
Most Insurances Accepted Including Medicare & Medicaid
Excellent Care For An Independent Life
Finding out Your risk
Women and men have many of the same health problems, but they can affect women differently. For example, women may have different symptoms of heart disease and it is possible that women suffer higher heart attack deaths compared to men as a result of delayed recognition. Urinary tract conditions present more often in females, and sexually transmitted diseases can cause more harm to women. Other diseases or conditions are more common in women, such as osteoarthritis, obe- sity, depression, and anxiety. And some conditions, such as meno- pause and pregnancy, are unique to women.
cancer and other serious diseases. The rewards of quitting are enor- mous. Just one year after you stop smoking, your heart disease risk can drop by more than half.
Women sometimes neglect their own health and focus instead on their partner's and their children's. As women age the role of caregiv- er seems to intensify. Take care of yourself first so you are better able to care for others. Get regular check- ups and screenings. Early detection is important for treating breast, cer- vical, uterine, and ovarian cancer, as well as many other conditions.
High blood Cholesterol – Cholesterol travels in the blood in packages called lipoproteins. Low- density lipoprotein (LDL) is often called “bad” cholesterol because too much LDL in your blood can lead to blockages in the arteries – and
a possible heart attack. The higher your LDL number, the higher your risk of heart disease. (An LDL level of 160 or above is high; less than 100 is optimal.)
Heart Disease in Women
Another type of cholesterol is high-density lipoprotein (HDL), also known as “good” cholesterol. That’s because HDL helps remove cho- lesterol from your blood. (An HDL level of less than 40 increases your risk for heart disease; 60 or higher is protective.)
Although many people think of heart disease as a man's problem, women can and do get heart disease nearly equally.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in the United States. It is also a leading cause of disability among women. For women, age becomes a risk factor at 55.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention heart disease causes one in every four deaths among women in the United States. Yet, only 54 percent of women realize that heart disease is the top health condition threaten- ing their gender.
Another key number is your total cholesterol, which should be less than 200.
The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage
of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time. It's the major reason people have heart attacks.
Physical inactivity – Not getting regular physical activity increases your risk for heart disease, as well as other heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and overweight. And, for older women especially, physical inactivity increases the chances of developing osteoporosis, which in turn raises
Prevention is important; two- thirds of women who have a heart attack fail to make a full recovery.
the risk of broken bones. Diabetes – Diabetes is a major
Risk Factors for Heart Disease
risk factor for heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, and other diseases. The type of diabetes that adults most commonly develop is “type 2.”
Risk factors are conditions or habits that increase the chances of developing a disease or having it worsen. There are two types of heart disease risk factors – those you can’t change and those you can control.
You are more likely to develop this disease if you are overweight (espe- cially with extra weight around your middle), physically inactive, or have a family history of diabetes.
One risk factor that cannot be changed is a family history of early heart disease. The older a woman gets, the more likely she is to devel- op heart disease, due much to meno- pause. In part, this occurs because
a woman’s production of estrogen drops. Also, middle age is a time when women tend to develop other risk factors for heart disease.
Diabetes can be detected with a blood sugar test. Controlling diabe- tes may also have a positive impact on delaying the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.
Fortunately many heart disease risk factors can be controlled by making changes in your lifestyle and, in some cases, by taking med- ication. Risk factors that you can control include:
To protect your heart health, it is important to find out your personal risk for heart disease. Be aware that every risk factor counts. Having more than one risk factor is espe- cially serious, because risk factors tend to “gang up” and worsen each other’s effects. Fortunately, you have tremendous power to prevent heart disease, and you can start today.
Smoking – Cigarette smoking greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke, as well as lung
The first step is to see your doctor for a thorough checkup. Tell your doctor you want help in achieving your goal of heart health. Following
High blood Pressure – High blood pressure can lead to heart dis- ease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and kidney disease. Usually, blood pressure is expressed as two num- bers, such as 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure is considered “high” when it is 140/90 or above. But even pre- hypertension (120-139 over 80-89) raises your risk of heart disease.
Overweight/obesity – If you are overweight or obese, you are more likely to develop heart disease, even if you have no other risk factors. Overweight also increases the
risks for stroke, congestive heart failure, gallbladder disease, diabetes, arthritis, and breathing problems,
as well as breast, colon, and other cancers.













































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