February is Heart Month. The month to bring some awareness to Heart Health.
This is not just a male issue.
Did you know that Heart Disease and Stroke is the #1 cause of premature death in women in Canada? Surprising, I know. One would have thought it was Breast Cancer. Heart health in women just isn’t discussed as much but it should be. 58% of all women who experience heart attack symptoms, go unrecognized. Knowledge is power and women need to take care of our hearts too!
So what are the risk factors, symptoms (because they can be very different and unique to what a man will experience) and what can we do to keep out hearts healthy…
Another Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and while some poo -poo the idea of another Hallmark holiday, I can’t help but enjoy the pop of red and pink in the store windows. Who doesn’t love a cheerful display of hearts and roses – and most importantly – CHOCOLATE when it is -25 and gloomy with still a long 6 weeks until Spring Break? As you know by now, I love a holiday. Typically, when I think of Valentine’s Day and its love inspired celebrations, my thoughts go to how I am going to make it special for our teens. Funnily enough, I still think of these holidays as celebrations for our kids – the REAL reason for the holiday (celebrating romantic love) doesn’t really come in to play (sorry honey!!) This isn’t because I don’t love and adore my husband, or that we don’t “celebrate,” it’s just that my most recent years have been filled with making sure the kids did their Valentine cards – (don’t forget EVERYONE in the class now has to get one), AND trying to figure out what cool and interesting treat / pencil / dollar store trinket I could tape on to them. In addition, I have always been the one making sure the day was special for THEM! The lunch box had to have a heart themed napkin and maybe a few heart shaped jujubes, a little love note and some special Valentine treats. Before they were in school, it was sugar cookies decorated with gobs of icing and sprinkles.
The other day, I was getting this blog post prepared and having a discussion on Valentines Day with my family. My son mentioned, “remember when we would have steak and lobster for dinner?..Can we do that again? Sure!!
Many years ago my husband and I decided that we would forego the typical Valentines Day date night and make it an in home dinner with the kids. We would make something special that we do not typically eat. So we picked lobster and hey why not get you kids aged 4 and 6 hooked on lobster. ;).. The best part of the dinner was always dessert and I would make everyone their own heart shaped chocolate cake..
