FEBRUARY IS HEART HEALTH MONTH

“You, yourself, as much as anyone in the Universe, deserve your love and affection." - Sharon Salzberg

Yes, I know that the February observance is focused on keeping your heart healthy – and I’ll talk about that shortly – however, I’m advocating for self-care,which is about self-love which is NOT self-ish but is self-responsibility.  For if we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t be of much use in helping others.

​Did you know that heart disease is STILL the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S.?

​Heart disease accounts for 1 in 3 deaths in women.  And our symptoms are not the same as men’s.  We may experience fatigue, back pain, shortness of breath, even flu-like symptoms, but are not likely to experience the sudden onset of severe chest pain, pain radiating down the arm, that men experience.

I’d like to share a story about a woman I’ll call Patty  –  at 64 years old, she appeared to be a fountain of energy.  On the outside, she seemed to have it all – a lovely home plus a second home at the beach.  Lots of friends to socialize with, travel opportunities, three great kids and a successful businessman as her husband.  Yet, underneath it all there was an undercurrent of unrelenting stress (I suspect it was at least in part caused by what I observed as her need to control in every situation).  And I never saw that she gave attention to her own self-care.  Not to mention three back surgeries in the course of five years to relieve unrelenting back pain.

Her first heart attack happened suddenly and without warning.  She was rushed to the hospital and doctors implanted a stint in her arteries in order to help with blood flow to the heart and brain.  She left the hospital assuring everyone she was fine and then continued to jump back into her go-go-go lifestyle.
Shortly thereafter, I invited her to lunch and she declined stating she was feeling like she had the flu. Three weeks later, while talking on the phone to a friend, she stated she suddenly “felt woozy” and then suffered a massive heart attack which claimed her life. 

"Health care without self-care is nothing more than sick care" 
                                                ~ Roshi Joan Halifax                                                                      
Why do I share this story?  I’m guessing you already know about heart-healthy diet, the need to exercise, get plenty of rest, drink enough water, etc.  So I’m not going to waste your time offering those tips – there is a plethora of them on the internet.  Rather, I want to encourage self-love and self-nurturing as an antidote to stress.  

1. I fully embrace the value of meditating.  However, I found that without the discipline of going to a class I'd come up with all kinds of excuses to skip it.  Thankfully, I found the app “Daily Calm” – it only takes 10 minutes/day and helps me get centered for the day.  
2. Reiki treatments – talk about being able to Zen out!  If you’re not in San Diego, no worries, I can send distance Reiki to you. 
3. Regularly check your blood pressure.  I was shocked when I was diagnosed with hypertension - Wait! What? But I'm a yogi, I hardly use salt, I meditate, etc. - I learned those things help but sometimes our genetic makeup, age, and other factors that are not in our control can affect our health. 
4. Let go, let go, let go…………………easier said than done, right?   I'm very much a bottom-line, bullet-point type person so I've found that visual reminders are really helpful.  Example: I have a sign that says "Breathe" above my computer!  I think I need to add one to my car for help when driving on the freeways!
5. Keep a gratitude journal – start each day with a grateful heart and list 3 things you are grateful for in your life – check again before you retire for the night. Keeping the notebook by my bedside wasn't discipline enough so now I have it on my pillow!
6. Check out Young Living’s essential oils expressly focused on stress relief – “Stress Away”, “Peace and Calming” and the forever faithful Lavender. 
7. As much as possible, surround yourself with people who uplift you, support you, and model positive attitudes. 
8. Above all, when your heart speaks, take good notes.