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FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com THE COURIER SUN  •  JANUARY 19, 2017  39 wellness 3 ways heart disease can sneak up on you As Americans, our health is far from perfect, but over the decades, we’ve seen great improvements to medical care and lived longer lives. But new health data in a recent report might shake up our complacency: The federal government finds that life expectancy for Americans has dropped for the first time in 25 years. Though the factors are varied and complex, it has health experts and doctors taking a hard look at the current realities, including our rising obesity rate and the fact doctors may be reaching their limit on what they can do to treat heart disease. “The report, though troubling to any family doctor, can be used as the basis of a wake-up call to anyone to improve their health,” says Andrew Manganaro, MD, FACC, FACS, Chief Medical officer for Life Line Screening. “That is especially true for those who have been diagnosed with a risk factor for heart disease.” Manganaro urges patients ages 55 and older to be proactive with their heart health by scheduling regular doctor visits and following their doctor’s instructions. In addition, he recommends making regular cardiovascular screenings a part of your wellness routine. Not convinced you need a screening? These three realities of cardiovascular health might change your mind. 1. HEART DISEASE IS OFTEN SILENT. Problems with the cardiovascular system can creep in gradually. Fully 80 percent - 4 out of 5 - of people who have a stroke have no symptoms beforehand. High blood pressure, high cholesterol and coronary artery disease are often silent, partly because the warning signs are not what most people expect. Symptoms are less obvious, such as a headache, shortness of breath or pain in the jaw. 2. MINOR CONDITIONS ARE EASY TO IGNORE. Even if your screening doesn’t reveal you’re at a very high risk of suffering a stroke or heart attack, don’t be complacent. Because your cardiovascular system is interconnected, plaque in one artery makes it very possible that plaque will eventually show up elsewhere. 3.ORAL HEALTH IS A WINDOW TO ARTERY HEALTH. For decades, researchers have seen a connection between oral health and heart health. Back in the 1920s for example, doctors thought they could cure heart disease by extracting teeth. While the connection is not yet fully understood, we do know oral plaque has a relationship to carotid artery plaque. The good news is you don’t need a prescription or take a trip to the doctor’s office to have preventive health screenings for cardiovascular disease. Life Line Screening performs affordable testing in community settings throughout the country. To find out when a screening clinic may be scheduled in your area, visit www. lifelinescreening.com/HeartCheck or call 877-754-9631. Courtesy BPT Expert tips to help spark a conversation about women’s health issues Exercise, eating well and getting more sleep are all leading health goals for women. However, there are many health concerns that women overlook for numerous reasons. Some they feel aren’t a priority and others are simply too difficult to talk about. One commonly overlooked example is women’s sexual health, despite the fact that it’s an area that affects many aspects of a woman’s overall well-being. “Research suggests the benefits of sexual wellness may extend beyond the bedroom,” says Dr. Leah S. Millheiser, director of the female sexual medicine program at Stanford University. “In fact, sexual health can affect self-esteem, body image, performance at work and interaction with peers and family. This is why it is extremely important for women to talk to their partners and health care providers if they are having any sexual concerns.” If you are experiencing any issues with sexual problems, it can feel isolating, but you’re not alone. According to research published in the journal of Obstetricians and Gynecology, nearly 40 percent of women experience sexual troubles at some point in their lives. Furthermore, recent survey data shows that 48 percent of premenopausal women age 21-49 say their sex drive is lower now than in the past. Additionally, 93 percent of women believe that having low sexual desire can put a strain on their relationship according to a Harris Poll survey of 2,501 women conducted on behalf of the American Sexual Health Association (ASHA). If sexual problems are persistent and cause personal distress, it may be a medical condition called female sexual dysfunction (FSD). The most common type of FSD is low desire, or hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), which may impact as many as 4 million premenopausal women in the United States. Even though many women may have FSD, it is still underdiagnosed and undertreated, and talking about it can be difficult. To elevate the conversation and educate about FSD, ASHA has partnered with leading experts in women’s sexual health - with support from Valeant Pharmaceuticals North America LLC - to launch the Find My Spark educational program. You can visit www.findmyspark.com to learn more about FSD, take an interactive quiz to help identify potential common sexual troubles, review tips to open up a dialogue with your healthcare provider or therapist and more. “Taking the leap and having that conversation about your sexual troubles is often the most difficult part,” says Dr. Millheiser. “From there, you can move forward and determine a plan to improve intimacy and other potential troubles.” Dr. Millheiser offers three smart tips for talking to your partner about sexual health concerns: Choose the right time: Bumper-to-bumper traffic or at the diner where you may be interrupted aren’t the best places to talk FSD. You want to give both yourself and your partner enough time to hear and be heard without any distractions. So set a date and time. Don’t rush the conversation: This isn’t a quick conversation. You’ll have a lot to say, as should your partner. Remember, the conversation might require a series of talks so both of you can communicate your thoughts clearly. Seek outside help if necessary: You and your partner don’t have to do this alone. If you don’t feel comfortable talking about it one-on-one, therapy can help. A therapist can help create an environment where both you and your partner may feel more comfortable sharing feelings and coming up with solutions. “Don’t suffer in silence,” Dr. Millheiser says. “Make an appointment with your healthcare provider to talk about next steps so you can create a plan to address your sexual health.” Courtesy BPT


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