FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM FEBRUARY 4, 2021 • THE QUEENS COURIER 17
Go Red
THE PULSE OF OUR CITY
‘Go Red’ this Friday to help stay heart healthy and save lives
Regardless of where you are this Friday,
put on your favorite shade of crimson
during “National Wear Red Day,” the
American Heart Association’s annual
awareness campaign held on the fi rst
Friday every February.
Traditionally, you would see a sea of red
out in the streets and workplaces of New
York City. Th e COVID-19 pandemic, of
course, has changed the dynamic, with so
many of us working these days from the
comforts of home while staying safe.
Yet this change shouldn’t stop us from
observing this important custom to raise
public awareness about the risks of heart
disease, particularly among women. For
our company, that means continuing our
tradition of making the covers of this and
our other publications red for the occasion.
Heart disease and stroke cause one
in three deaths of women each year,
according to the American Heart
Association.
Th ose with the highest risk are individuals
with a history of heart disease in the
family. Lifestyle also plays a role; what
you eat, what you weigh, what you do
and whether you smoke are all potential
risk factors.
One in three women, on average,
die of heart disease and stroke every
year, according to the American Heart
Association. Th ese silent killers constitute
the leading cause of death among
American women — and yet, most of
these tragedies can be avoided through
early detection and treatment.
It’s important to know the symptoms of
a possible heart attack. Th e life you save
could be your own, or someone you love.
Th e symptoms include pain or uncomfortable
pressure in the center of your
chest; pain or discomfort in the arms,
back, neck or jaw; shortness of breath; a
cold sweat; nausea; vomiting; and lightheadedness.
Chest pain is the most common heart
attack symptom for everyone, but the
American Heart Association notes that
women are oft en more likely to suff er
other common symptoms.
If you or someone you love experiences
potential heart attack symptoms, don’t
waste time. Call 911, go to a hospital and
get treatment. Every second counts. It
could mean the diff erence between life
and death.
Knowing the symptoms of heart disease,
along with advanced medical care in
recent years, have helped millions of people
overcome the odds and live long lives.
Of course, all of us can do plenty in our
own lives to be healthy — such as watching
our diets, getting more exercise, putting
down cigarettes and cigars for
good, and going for annual
checkups.
We appreciate
everyone
wearing
red this
Friday,
and
urge
them to
continue
supporting
the American
Heart Association any
way they can. Donate
to the association’s “Go
Red For Women” campaign
online at heart.
org You can also spread
the word through social
media by using the hashtag
#WearRedandGive.
Th anks to all for your
support of this wonderful
campaign. Take good care!
— Joshua and
Victoria Schneps
Amazing facts about the human heart
Every Valentine’s Day homes and businesses
dress up their decor with cupids and
hearts to celebrate a day all about love and
aff ection. Th e heart shape has been used to
symbolically represent the human heart as
the center of emotion and romantic love.
Hearts symbolizing love can be traced back
to the Middle Ages.
Th ose familiar with human anatomy realize
that an actual heart bares very little
resemblance to the ideographic heart shape
used in art and imagery. Similarly, the
human heart really has nothing to do with
human emotions. Despite this, there are
many interesting components of the
heart, and a man or woman truly cannot
love or live without one.
Th e heart as an organ is relatively
small in size. It is roughly the size
of a fi st and weighs only 11 ounces
on average. Although diminutive,
the heart is responsible for pumping
2,000 gallons of blood through
60,000 miles of blood vessels each
day. It accomplishes this by beating
72 times a minute in a healthy
adult. All of the cells in the body
receive blood except for the corneas
in the eye.
Th e heart works harder than
any other muscle in the body. In a fetus, it
begins beating at four weeks aft er conception
and will not stop until a person’s time of
death. Even then, sometimes the heart can
be revived. A heart can also continue to beat
outside of the body provided
it has an adequate oxygen
supply.
Although
many people
refer
to all of
the blood
vessels in their
body as “veins,” they’re actually a combination
of veins and arteries. Veins carry fresh,
oxygenated blood to the body through
arteries. Th e main artery leaving the left
heart ventricle is called the aorta, while the
main artery leaving the right ventricle is
known as the pulmonary artery. Blood traveling
back to the heart fl ows through veins
aft er it has passed the lungs to pick up
oxygen. Th e thumping noise that is
heard while the heart is beating is
actually the chambers of the heart
closing and opening as blood fl ows
through.
While the heart may not be the cornerstone
of emotions, it can be aff ected
by feelings. Studies have shown
that a “broken heart” is a
real occurrence, according
to Live Science. Bad news
or a breakup with a loved
one can put a person at
increased risk for heart
attack. Th is type of trauma
releases stress hormones
into the body
that can stun the heart.
Chest pain and shortness
of breath ensue
but can be remedied aft er
some rest.
Conversely, laughter and positive feelings
can be benefi cial for the heart. Research has
shown that a good laughing fi t can cause the
lining of the blood vessel walls — called the
endothelium — to relax. Th is helps increase
blood fl ow for up to 45 minutes aft erward.
Although having a big heart colloquially
means that a person is loving and goes out of
his way for others, physically speaking, a big
heart is unhealthy. An enlarged heart can be
a sign of heart disease and compromise the
heart’s ability to pump blood eff ectively. Left
untreated, it can lead to heart failure.
Th ere is good reason to get amorous with
a loved one on Valentine’s Day or other
times during the month. Being intimate
can provide a physical workout, in some
instances doubling a person’s heart rate and
burning up to 200 calories. Th at’s the equivalent
of a brisk 15-minute run. Also, a study
of 2,500 men aged 49 to 54 found having an
orgasm at least three times a week can cut
the likelihood of death from coronary disease
in half, according to Th e New England
Journal of Medicine.
Th e heart is an amazing organ responsible
for sustaining life. Although it is not directly
tied to love and emotions, without the heart
such feelings wouldn’t be possible.
/WWW.QNS.COM
