Archives for 2014

If you start running for health or because it is on your bucket list (or to lose baby weight like I did, seven years ago), the first question, real or in your head, is always “are you going to run a 5K?” Once you’ve done that, the question becomes “how about a half?” and when you’ve […]

This week’s EmpowerMEnt Challenge is an easy one — replace sugar-added drinks with water. Or, if you want to take it further, cram your blender full of green goodness and get five + servings of veggies and fruits in one delicious gulp. I’m a major fan of green smoothies (see this post on my other […]

The start of a new school year is the perfect time to get back into a healthy schedule — enough rest, enough exercise, healthy food, and good habits. Starting tomorrow, the EmpowerMEnt Challenge of the American Heart Association calls on families to start preventing heart disease in the next generation — right now and at […]

“Heart disease is a lifestyle disease that can be largely prevented through healthy choices.” You may have seen that phrase or heard it — I certainly have, and to some extent it is true for those privileged enough to have choices. But what about those for whom there are no choices — who live without […]

Today is the third anniversary of the day that I ceased to be me, just me, and became me, the survivor. And what’s extraordinary about today is that it was totally, in every way, ordinary. I worked (at home; no childcare today). I made breakfast and lunch for my boys. I escorted a tentative new […]

I like this new Go Red for Women video, because it is something we can all do. Tell other women to know their risk, know the signs, and seek care. Because the women in our lives are one of our biggest strengths.

Did you know that high blood pressure during pregnancy is very highly correlated with heart disease later in life? I didn’t either, until after my heart attack. Not sure the ER doctors or possibly even the cardiologist I first saw that day were aware of this critical risk factor. When I was pregnant with my […]

There are about two hours left of my 30s, and while my husband has been gleefully rubbing it in all day long, I wasn’t thinking much about it until I had some alone time in the car tonight (running errands and dropping off/picking up kids, natch). And mostly I was thinking about what I will not miss […]

When I was asked by The Heart Truth to be an ambassador for their heart-month series MyHeart28, I was happy to say yes — and even happier when I got my assigned day: Plan a heart-healthy menu. Yay for food, cooking, and family dinners! The best way to eat heart-healthy is to eat at home. […]

Last September I was invited to give one of the keynote addresses at a conference about wellness at my church, Gloria Dei Lutheran in St. Paul. I’m very familiar with telling my story, sharing facts about heart disease, and educating women about risk factors, signs, and symptoms. But this one was different — it was a […]