Wellness
What to do to keep your
heart running strong
Heart health should be a concern for people of
all ages, but especially so for men and women
over 50. That’s because, according to the American
Heart Association, even those who are free of
cardiovascular disease at age 50 are at a signifi cant
lifetime risk of developing the disease.
But heart disease does not have to be an accepted
byproduct of aging. For example, a 2014 study published
in the Association’s journal “Circulation”
found that maintaining or increasing physical activity
after age 65 can improve the heart’s well-being
and lower risk of heart attack.
In addition to increasing physical activity as
they age, older men and women who understand
heart disease and learn to recognize its symptoms
have a greater chance of minimizing its affects and
lowering their risk of having a heart attack:
What are the symptoms of heart
disease?
Heart disease is a blanket term used to describe
a host of conditions, so symptoms vary depending
on each individual condition. The following are
some of the more widely known conditions and
their symptoms:
Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure,
hypertension is a largely symptomless form of
heart disease. The Association notes that the idea
that hypertension produces symptoms such as diffi
culty sleeping, facial fl ushing, nervousness, and
sweating is a misconception. Symptoms typically
do not alert men and women to the presence of hypertension,
highlighting the emphasis you should
place on routine visits to the doctor’s offi ce, where
your blood pressure can be taken.
Heart attack: The symptoms of a heart attack
are different than the symptoms of heart disease
that may lead to heart attack. The former can be
found by visiting www.heart.org. Signs that you
may be heading toward a heart attack include undue
fatigue, palpitations (the sensation that your
heart is skipping a beat or beating too rapidly), dyspnea
(diffi culty or labored breathing), chest pain,
or discomfort from increased activity.
Arrhythmia: Arrhythmia means your heartbeat
is irregular, and men and women often mistakenly
believe arrhythmia only affl icts those who
already have been diagnosed with heart disease or
have had a heart attack. But arrhythmia can affect
even those men and women who have healthy
hearts and no history of cardiovascular disease.
Symptoms of arrhythmia can vary greatly, from
a single premature beat to a series of premature
beats that occur in rapid succession. Arrhythmia
that lasts long enough to affect heart function may
include symptoms such as rapid heartbeat, fatigue,
dizziness, lightheadedness, shortness of breath,
and chest pain.
How can I protect my heart?
Heart-healthy habits take some effort, but men
and women can protect their hearts regardless of
their ages:
Get suffi cient exercise. At least 30 minutes of exercise
per day can protect against disease.
Quit smoking. Smoking increases your risk for
a host of ailments, including heart disease. Quitting
is a great way to start getting your heart and other
parts of your body back on track.
Include heart-healthy foods in your diet. A diet
that is rich in fruits and vegetables and low in cholesterol,
salt, and saturated fat promotes heart health.
Don’t drink alcohol to excess. Like smoking,
drinking alcohol to excess can lead to a host of problems,
such as high blood pressure, arrhythmia, and
high cholesterol, each of which increases your risk of
heart disease.
Lose weight. Being overweight or obese is a major
risk factor for heart disease. If you have already
started to exercise daily and eat a more heart-healthy
diet, then you’re on your way to losing weight. Consult
your physician if diet and exercise don’t seem to
be helping you to shed pounds.
BREAKTHROUGH TECHNOLOGY
COURIER LIFE, OCT. 18-24, 2019 37
DRX9000TM
RELIEVES BACK PAIN
Surgeons perform an estimated 300,000 to 400,000
back surgeries every year. Annually, neurosurgeons
perform at least 100,000 operations for lumbar disc
disease alone, and orthopedic surgeons perform a
similar number. It is estimated that between 20% and
40% of these operations are unsuccessful.
That is why doctors from all over the country
are racing to acquire and get trained to operate the
DRX9000TM, an FDA approved device that is saving
thousands of Americans suffering from chronic back
pain from going under the knife.
Dr. Melinda Keller, who treats serious back
pain without surgery explains how the DRX9000TM
works... “Over 10 years ago, NASA began to notice
an unexpected result of space travel: Astronauts that
left with back pain would come back without it. After
investigated this now phenomenon here’s what they
found: During the anti-gravity state of the mission there
were decompressive forces on the intervertebral discs
and back pain was relieved. How? When you travel
through space, the effects of gravity are removed
and you are in a weightless state. All the pressure is
taken off your spine and discs. Even better — and
this is the key — a negative pressure is created. This
negative pressure actually sucks the herniated material
back into the disc and allows it to heal. Thanks to the
DRX9000TM, disc herniation sufferers finally have a
non-surgical solution.”
The main conditions the DRX9000TM has documented
success with are back pain, sciatica, herniated
and/or bulging discs (single or multiple), degenerative
disc disease, facet syndromes and a relapse or failure
following back surgery.
Anyone wishing to learn more about this new
FDA approved solution to back pain or to set up an
appointment for a free consultation call Dr. Keller’s
office at 718 234-6212 or visit Brooklyn Spine
Center, 5911 16th Ave., Brooklyn, New York 11204.
Brooklynspinecenter.com.
S f i d 3
Local doctor treats herniated and bulging discs,
sciatica, and serious lower back pain
WITHOUT BACK SURGERY
/www.heart.org
/www.heart.org
/Brooklynspinecenter.com