Volume 42 Issue 2 COUNSELING & WELLNESS The Counseling & Wellness Center Newsletter February is Black History and Heart Health Month As we celebrate Black History month please, note that February is also Heart Ask your doctor what your blood Take blood pressure medicine as phone to help you remember. Quit smoking. If you don't smoke, don't start. As smoking increases, so does the risk of heart disease. Reduce your sodium intake by learning how to prepare low sodi- vent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in um recipes and eliminating fast the United States by 2017. The CDC is food. Learn how to manage your stress. pressure, and if it's high, make adjustments Americans aged 30 to 74 in the to their lifestyle. More than 67 million Amer- southeast are at higher risk of develop- icans have high blood pressure and are 4 ing heart disease over the next 10 years. times more likely to die from a stroke and 3 Many southern states have large African times more likely to die from heart disease. -American populations. Two in 5 African- High blood pressure often shows no Americans have high blood pressure, signs or symptoms, which is why it is im- but only half have it under control. Afri- portant to have your blood pressure can-American men are at the highest checked regularly. It's easy to get your risk for heart disease. blood pressure checked at your doctor's By: Christine Smith, Wellness Peer Counselor how to reach that goal. Health Month. The CDC is working to pre- encouraging Americans to know their blood Wake Up Feeling Your Best pressure should be and talk about directed. Use a timer on your There will be some sleepless nights in college for undergraduate students, whether cramming for exams, trying to meet crucial deadlines or maintaining an unruly work schedule. It might seem tempting to rely frequently on naps, however daytime performance will eventually suffer. So how much sleep is right? Researchers recommend 7 to 9 hours. It’s a no brainer that having adequate sleep can improve your daily performance, boost your mood, and prevent those dark under-eye circles. Ultimately giving yourself time to sleep, is a key part of a healthy lifestyle, and is mentally, physically, and emotionally beneficial. Here are some other key health benefits that scientific researchers have discovered about getting some zzzz’s in. Eating better, exercising, and control- office, most drugstores, or use a home ling high blood pressure can help reduce blood pressure monitor. the chances of heart attack. Check out If you have high blood pressure, take the CDC's High Blood Pressure website these steps to help maintain your blood for information to help control your goals! pressure and keep it under control: Editor: Shirley F. Labbe February 2016 Lowers Stress. Sleep reduces level of stress, resulting in better control of your blood pressure. Live Longer. In a 2010 study of women 50-75 years old, more deaths occurred in women who received less than five hours of sleep per night. Raymonde Jean, MD director of sleep medicine states: “If you sleep better, you can certainly live better. It’s pretty clear”. Sharpens Attention. A lack of sleep can result in ADHD-like symptoms. Sleep deprivation can result in hyperactive and inattentive behavior. Wake up continues on next page FEELING WELL AT XAVIER Page 2 Wake up from previous page Healthy Weight. Thinking about incorporating a healthier diet? Planning to go to bed earlier can also help with your weight loss plan. Sleep and metabolism are controlled by the same sector of your brain. When your sleep, certain hormones go up in your blood, and those same hormones drive appetite. Sometimes sleepless nights may occur but be mindful of the harmful effects sleep deprivation can have on your body. Planning ahead of time and lessening procrastination on assignments are some helpful ways to avoid cramming and sacrificing sleep. So Xavierites, Go ahead and snooze! Get Pumped For Heart Health Vincent Ekenga, Pharm.D. PGY-1 Community Pharmacy Resident The heart is associated with February not only because of Valentine’s Day but also because February has been declared American Heart Month. Heart disease is the number 1 cause of death in the United States for both men and women. It accounts for 1 in 7 deaths or approximately 375,000 deaths per year. There are many contributing factors to heart disease such as high blood pressure, smoking, high cholesterol, diabetes, age and obesity. Atherosclerosis is a disease in which the artery walls thicken and become inflamed. Plaque builds up in the artery and narrows blood flow leading to a possible heart attack. One of the most important risk factors for atherosclerosis is abnormally high levels of cholesterol in the blood stream. This is why it is important that we do everything possible to maintain healthy levels of cholesterol, including reducing the intake of unhealthy foods, increasing exercise and taking medications as prescribed. Lifestyle changes and cholesterol medications have the same goals; to decrease “bad cholesterol” known as “LDL” and sometimes triglycerides (TGL), while increasing the amount of “good cholesterol” known as “HDL”. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) transport fats to the artery which increases the risk for atherosclerosis, while high-density lipoprotein (HDL) does the opposite. It removes cholesterol from the artery and decreases the risk of developing atherosclerosis. Desirable levels (may vary depending on the presence of other medical conditions): LDL <160mg/dL (Levels lower than 100mg/dL may be desirable for those with diabetes and cardiovascular disease)- TGL <150mg/dL HDL>40mg/dL (men)/ >50mg/dL (women) Total Cholesterol <200mg/ dL High blood pressure is another important contributing factor to poor heart health. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is urging Americans to know their blood pressure value and if it is high, make getting healthy a priority. People with high blood pressure are 3 times more likely to die from heart disease than those with normal blood pressure. Approximately, 2 in 5 African American males have high blood pressure and 50% are unaware of their condition. These statistics emphasize the importance of maintaining blood pressure within normal limits, usually defined as less than 140/90 for most people. Here are a few ways to maintain heart health: Have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked by your healthcare provider annually. Take medication if prescribed. Decrease sodium intake (less than 2300mg daily) Quit smoking or don’t start smoking Exercise (150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week) References: “Heart Disease and Stroke." Heart Disease and Stroke. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, n.d. Web. <http:// www.healthypeople.gov/2020/topics-objectives/ topic/heart-disease-and-stroke>. "The American Heart Association's Diet and Lifestyle Recommendations." The American Heart Association. American Heart Association, 20 Jan. 20. Web. <http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/ HealthyLiving/HealthyEating/Nutrition/TheAmerican-Heart-Associations-Diet-and-LifestyleRecommendations_UCM_305855_Article.jsp#.Vre9smzSnIU>. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2015 – 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 8th Edition. December 2015. Available at http://health.gov/ dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/. SaVe the Dates: Behavioral Health Awareness Day February 25, 2016 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> WELLNESS AWARENESS DAY March 16, 2016