20th anniversary edition of "The Healthy Heart
Handbook" includes New Statistics, Quizzes, and Charts
A must read for women who want to show their hearts some love, "The
Healthy Heart Handbook for Women" is an invaluable and easy-to-use
resource every woman should read from cover to cover. A full-color,
122-page booklet from The Heart Truth campaign, it is
packed with the latest information on preventing and controlling
the risk factors for heart disease — the No.1 killer of women.
"The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women" a publication of the National
Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes
of Health, contains new information on women and heart disease
and offers practical suggestions for reducing the risk of heart-related
problems. The handbook also describes the warning signs of heart
attack and how to get help quickly.
"It is important for women to keep track of the latest research
on heart health," says Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., director of NHLBI. "The
20th anniversary edition of 'The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women' has
packaged the most up-to-date information on heart health in one
easy-to-use guide."
Since nearly one in four American women dies from heart disease,
it is critical to know that high blood pressure, high cholesterol,
diabetes, smoking or being overweight are all major risk factors.
The handbook is filled with good advice on reducing those risk
factors, including new tips on following a nutritious eating plan,
tailoring a physical activity program to particular goals, and
getting the whole family involved in heart healthy living.
"Most women think they know if they are at risk of a heart attack,
but in reality some risk factors like high blood pressure or high
blood cholesterol go undetected because they don't have obvious
signs or symptoms," said Patrice Desvigne-Nickens, M.D., leader
of NHLBI's Cardiovascular Medicine Scientific Research Group. "Simple
steps like taking the What's Your Risk? quiz and knowing
the appropriate questions to ask your doctor can help you take
action to protect your heart health."
Featured highlights from "The Healthy Heart Handbook for Women" include:
- Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Heart Attack Risk Quiz
- ABCs of Diabetes
- Five Aids for Quitting Smoking
- Heart Attack Risk Table
- Stories of real women's experience with heart disease
The handbook also provides information about healthy eating to
reduce heart disease risk, including a sample eating plan and a
chart on how to properly read a nutrition label. "We know that
being able to quickly scan a nutrition label is an important skill
to help make heart healthy nutritional choices," said Catherine
Loria, Ph.D., a nutritional epidemiologist in the Division of Prevention
and Population Sciences at NHLBI. "Critically assessing food based
on fat, sodium, and calories empowers you to take control of your
personal health."
"The Healthy Heart Handbook" is available for $4.00 from the NHLBI
Information Center, (301) 592-8573 or (240) 629-3255 (TTY); it
is also online at http://emall.nhlbihin.net/product2.asp?sku=07-2720.
Part of the National Institutes of Health, the National Heart,
Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) plans, conducts, and supports
research related to the causes, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment
of heart, blood vessel, lung, and blood diseases; and sleep disorders.
The Institute also administers national health education campaigns
on women and heart disease, healthy weight for children, and other
topics. NHLBI press releases and other materials are available
online at: www.nhlbi.nih.gov.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) — The Nation's
Medical Research Agency — includes 27 Institutes and
Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services. It is the primary federal agency for conducting
and supporting basic, clinical and translational medical research,
and it investigates the causes, treatments, and cures for both
common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and
its programs, visit www.nih.gov.