Joanne Williams
Editor

(Photo by Joanne Williams/TCJ – The event panelists were health professionals (from left) Jenna Edwards, Jill Byers, Heather Klopp and Jenna Bergstrom.)

Hearts rule each February, with Valentine’s Day and its American Heart Month designation.

The little engine that could and does pump blood, oxygen, and nutrients to our bodies, beats about 100,000 times a day.

Needless to say, it is a vital organ.

So, when Al!ve in Charlotte hosted a free (lunch provided) panel discussion on all things heart, more than 50 folks attended, and received information, tips, and answers to questions.

The February 11 University of Michigan Health-Sparrow event featured a panel of four. Each talked about their specialty and how it related to all things heart-associated, from exercise, diet, health and medication.

Jenna Edwards, Cardiopulmonary Supervisor, Clinical Exercise Physiologist

at Al!ve, served as moderator and panelist. She was prepared with statistics: heart disease is the leading cause of death in this country and Michigan is more than eight percentages points above the national average for folks suffering from the disease. 

Jill Byers, Registered Nurse, said more than “6.7 million Americans, ages 20 years or older” suffer from heart failure, one in four people in their lifetime.

Heather Klopp, Physician’s Assistant-Certified,  said there are things to do to prevent or lessen the effects of heart disease. “It’s back to basics,” she said, and “we’re all here to help you.”

The hour or so program offered a number of tips to better health:

*Stop smoking – or step down the amount.

*Talk to your health care providers about heart concerns, sooner than later.

*Bring medications to office visits to review and learn more about their use.

*Exercise – it does not need to be fancy, Klopp said, it just needs to be frequent.

*Baby aspirins are still in use to keep blood flowing – with the approval of your doctor.

*If you notice you tire more or more easily doing routine activities, visit a medical professional to seek answers.

*Any unusual swelling or bloating should be checked.

*Walking steps should hit about 5,000 a day – more of course, is better.

The number one barrier to exercise, Edwards said, is time. “Something we all have,” she said.

Jenna Bergstrom, Registered Dietician, said food is favored over supplements for a healthy, all-around diet.

All of the panelists encouraged people to ask questions, seek out reliable information and be proactive when it comes to keeping the heart strong.

Chris Wieland, and her husband, Tom, came to the event from Lansing. She was a registered nurse for 40 years. “It’s the best profession in the world,” she said. She was at the event to continue life-long learning.