Health Matters
American heart Association Works to Educate African-American Communities
on Importance of Heart-healthy Lifestyles, Stroke Prevention—Part
(This article is a continuation of the December,
2003 Health Matters article. It is
adapted from the AHA
It is
never too late to take charge and change one’s behaviors to reduce risk of
heart disease. Below is a
listing of several American Heart Association programs:
The Cholesterol Low DownTM
The goal of The Cholesterol Low Down,
sponsored by Pfizer, is to teach families what they can do to prevent or manage
heart disease. This program helps people
to understand that there are multiple risk factors for heart disease. One of the important risk factors to identify
is family history. Other risk factors
include increased age, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, smoking, low
Throughout the year, enrollees will
receive (by e-mail or regular mail) the following free cholesterol-management
tools to encourage them to do everything they can to reduce their risk for
heart disease:
l The Cholesterol Low Down Guide, a comprehensive brochure,
explaining cholesterol topics ranging from questions to ask the doctor to
understanding personal risk factors.
l Newsletter, a
biannual newsletter with cholesterol information edited by some of the nation’s
leading cardiologists, along with inspiring personal stories from people who
have reached their cholesterol goals.
l Health Risk Assessment, a
tool that helps people determine their own risk for heart disease based on
their personal risk factors (e.g., smoking, family history, overweight).
l Healthy Living Cookbooks
offering a wide range of delicious recipes.
l Fitness Tips (Physical Activity
Guide) that provide easy exercise tips for keeping your heart
healthy.
The Heart of DiabetesSM
The Heart of Diabetes: Understanding Insulin Resistance was
created to promote an understanding of the important link between diabetes,
cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance among healthcare professionals
and patients. Over the past six months,
the program has taken shape and garnered significant interest among healthcare
professionals. The Heart of Diabetes
works by first arming people with the knowledge to better control their
disease, and then takes them through the next steps of putting what they learn
into action. People with diabetes who
wish to join the program can either call (800) AHA-USA1 or visit the Web site americanheart.org/diabetes to request a program
booklet.
People are enrolled as Heart of Diabetes Thrivers once they complete a health-risk assessment to
accurately gauge where they are as they begin the program. Throughout the year, Thrivers
will receive:
l The Heart of Diabetes Journal full
of simple everyday tips for managing their diabetes and reducing their risk,
and a ledger to track their progress.
l Free
subscription to Diabetes Positive magazine full of information
about emerging trends and new research.
l Fitting in
Fitness Guide with hundreds of simple ways to put more physical
activity into their life.
As the program gains traction, The Heart
of Diabetes continues to target higher-risk ethnic populations.
Simple Solutions
Simple Solutions is a free, national
education and awareness program to help women reduce their risk for
cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 cause of death for American women. An American Heart Association survey found 75
percent of women do not make healthful choices when it comes to diet and
exercise. Simple Solutions helps women
incorporate simple healthy changes into their lives to improve their heart
health. Women are enrolled in the
program once they complete a commitment card, pledging to make their own health
a priority. They receive:
l Tip Cards that
contain helpful tips on nutrition, exercise, diet and stress.
l Newsletter, a
quarterly online newsletter that will provide tips, report findings from
periodic polls, and feature stories on nutrition, physical activity, risk
factors and general wellness.
l Enjoy! cookbook full
of recipes from the American Heart Association cookbooks.
The program materials are
offered both in print and online. The
Web site features quarterly newsletters, e-cards that participants can send to
encourage friends to join the program, success stories about women using the
program to improve their health, and healthy recipes. To join
Simple Solutions, logon to americanheart.org/simplesolutions
or call (888) MY-HEART.
To find
out more about living a heart-healthy
lifestyle, call visit the American heart Association Web site at
americanheart.org. To learn more about
stroke, call toll-free (888) 4-STROKE or visit the American Stroke Association
Web site at StrokeAssociation.org, or to learn more about heart disease,
call toll-free (800) AHA-USA1 or visit the American Heart Association Web site
at americanheart.org. n