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Fending off the storms of life

High winds of stress take toll on us all

Picture this scenario: Businessman, dressed to the nines, every hair in place as he squints through the sleet making his way down a sidewalk in a cold and blustery storm. In an effort to keep himself looking crisp and composed, he reaches for the umbrella in his briefcase, and throws it open.

Imagine the wind bearing down against the outer surface of the umbrella, causing it to tighten and bow around the ribs that give the umbrella its strength, when the umbrella suddenly snaps inside out. Our poor sap, despite his efforts, will show up to his meeting looking as though he has been trampled by the bulls of Pamplona.

How does this story relate to stress and your heart? Let’s think about the wind as stress and the umbrella as your heart. When the man reaches his meeting, does he rightfully attribute his disheveled appearance to the wind, or to the failed umbrella? Likewise, does stress cause the heart to fail or is it that the heart simply isn’t strong enough to withstand the stress it is met with?

Let’s name some possible reasons some of the “ribs” may not be able to weather the storm. Let’s label one of those umbrella ribs, “smoker.” We can label others “physical inactivity, “high blood pressure” and “high cholesterol levels.” On the positive side, one rib might be “great genetics.”

Now let’s visualize this scenario again, knowing a bit more about the underlying structure of the umbrella and it’s likely fate heading into the storm. Perhaps you’ve got that one strong rib of “great genetics,” but is it enough to withstand the inevitable stressors that comes your way?

Equating this with stress and your heart, we hope you’ll feel inspired to strengthen your support systems to the best of your ability.  If you are a smoker, take advantage of the free NYS Smokers’ Quitline, talk with your doctor, and make that rib as sturdy as possible. If you don’t exercise regularly, Google how to start an exercise program, or simply start walking, and you’ll be moving toward another sturdy rib.

Seek out easily accessible information about how to choose healthier meals and snacks that can assist in lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, adding two more strong supporting ribs to the mix.

We cannot control the wind … or the storm. Likewise, though we can reduce some of the stress in our lives, we cannot control or change all of it. Stress is part of the human condition and when it becomes excessive we know that the better we treat our bodies, the stronger and more resilient our hearts will be in response to that stress.

Your local Chautauqua Health Action Team (CHAT) team wants you to take care of yourself and have the strength and support to weather the storm. After all, the calm is just around the corner, providing countless beautiful days here in Chautauqua County for you and yours to enjoy!

Chautauqua County has high rates of both heart attack and stroke, but an estimated 80 percent of heart attacks and strokes are preventable. CHQ250 is an initiative of the Chautauqua Health Action Team (CHAT), encouraging  you to take action to be one of at least 250 strokes, heart attacks, or related deaths prevented in Chautauqua County in the coming year.  This column is written by CHAT members to share information to help you to do your part to live a life free of stroke or heart disease; it is not intended to replace advice provided by your healthcare team. Please direct questions or comments to: activecounty@co.chautauqua.ny.us.

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