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Home My WebLink AboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 1998-05-06, Page 71.40eltUOW Sentinel, VfietInesdaY,. MAY 6, 1998 Page 7 • Bruce and Huqn females have highest provincial dea la rate from heart disease by Ellen Douglas Women in Huron and Bruce counties have the highest death rate from heart disease in Ontario • 38 per cent to be exact. Howeverspeakers at the Women and Heart Health forum at theZutich Mennonite Church April 22 gave women hope that all is not lost andthat heart disease is to a large extent preventable. The event was presented by the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Dr. Heather Percival, a. family physician, said that while most women think breast cancer is the most significant illness known • to women, .all cancers together kill a smaller per- • centage of women than heart disease, But every- • One has to die froni some- thing, right? if -The problem is about' half of the women who die' from heart disease are •under 70 years old, well below their life expectan- • cy. • However, doctors now knowwho is at risk and what can be done to mini - Mize that risk. •. • Women who are at • major risk are those who have chest paitis, who have gone through menopause, arid are eotitaking replace - mem horinOnes,' or who have diabetes. "Women with diabetes • have a twO to five times • increased risk ,of having a heart attack," , said .Dr. • Percival, *ho practises at • the Seaforth Medical Clinic • . and Seaforth Community Hospital. • Women with high blood pressure, with •high eholes- terol or who smoke are at an intermediate risk. "It is best to get your blood pres- • sure checked once a year," she said. "About 80 per cent of women over the age of 75 have high blood pressure. "Smokers riskof having a heart attack is increased by two to five times. And secondhand smoke on increase your risk of hav- ing a heart attack by one half to the same amount of risk as. the smoker," High cholesterol, she' • said, may just be, a symp- tom of heart disease, but it • is important to get your levels checked at least once. Women with a miner increased riskof having a •heart attack are those who are over 65, 'who have a sedentary lifestyle, who have a family history of heart disease or who have 'high stress and low con- trol. ' "A sedentary lifestyle can increase your tisk of having a heart ,atack by 3Q per cent, but if you walk three times a week that risk • drops," she said. "family history is not as important with women as it is with men, but it is still a factor," One interesting fact is that there, seems to be no difference in the risk of heart disease between women who work outside the home and those who do' not. Also, women who have • only. have a vacation every six years or less are at, seven times greater risk of having a heart attack (a good excuse to take that cruise you've always wanted). The signs that a woman is having a tieart attack is often 'different than the crushing pain men get in their chests. Women Can experience numbness, tin - Ong, pressure or no sen- sation at all, a's well as the "traditional" strong pain. 'One woman came to me who couldn't clear her • threet," said De4Percival "The only way 1 could tell she was having a heart attack was that She was grey and sweaty." • To prevent heart disease women can take hormone ' replacement therapy after menopause. "A study was done where 10,00.0 women, were given estrogen after menopause and it decreased the risk of death by 46 per cent," said Dr. Percival, The hormones also decreased the risk of death from certain cancers: • The emelt is that taking estrogen increases the risk of breast cancer by 18 to 25 per Cent, Women have to weigh their risk factors such as family history,' before, deciding 'whether to take hormones, • said . Dr. Percival. • "ppne of •the biggest things you can do to, increase tour risk ()Mean • disease is quit sinOlting," she. saki. , "Women • with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and who' •'Smoke have an 11 times *eater .risk of heart dis-. Beef*Club The first meeting of the. LucknoW 4-1-1 Beef Club was. held last week at the hOldS We vette on club` posi- tions. They are ai follows: President Brent Black, • ••yiee. • Presiket., iai -Secretory Sandra. Alton Treasurer "first::'; eeting Jeff Cranstn and' Press Reporter. -Brad Gilchrist. • We 'started to talk 'about hew to pick the best ani- mal and tips on -pieking•an • Dennis' Johnston then ;.,spoke -to us aboutE.RD'S: ,(submitted •P by Brad •hri t) ,Catch 'L�e'1n 814 lime' The-13Iyth Festival Singer's are presenting Love in 3/4 Time - a eon - cert of classical and mod- ern love songs and read- • ings: The concert will take place on Sattirday, May 9th at'the Blyth Hall with shows at 3 and • 8 p.m. ..:11he 40 -voice choir • will -- present a wide selection -of.love songs including music by Brahms and tither lovers. Brahms loye sOtigs, music froin West Side Story and Phantom Of the Opera, songs from World War 11 and selec- tions from popular record- ing artists, The' choir will be lead by Wade Whittaker of as Barridance,Live and Kintore in one of his.final thel4elville Boys. •performances with the Tickets for the concert choir. Wade has been the may be purchased in director of the Blyth advance or at the door. Festival Singers for the • As vvell, the Blyth past seven years andis Centre for the Arts will be completing hiS workwith' offering a delicious sup - the choir this year. per Menu for an addition - Sharon ,Johnston of al cost This fund raising Goderich is the accorepa- meal will feature salad, si forthe chOir- - lasagne breads and • Along with the musical desserts. • entertainment, speCial For information on the readings froin the upcom- concert and supper tickets ing season's plays at the Call theIllyth Festival 8 lytli Festival 'Will' be Oox Office. at 52.3-9300pr rad . by :.aeter. Enc. Coates . the fo liawing. out lets , - atid4rietidg.: tric,is.well . Synder ... , . -. Studios, known for the received - Winghani;' •Carnpliel I's crittcal -- and audience .. Photography, Gdderick' . '.. approval ,he receiVed,at, Store Clinton • '.• ...Blyth in such productions , Nifty Corners, Seaforth, • ease." However, if a person, stops smoking, within two •years there. risk returns 'to normal. The scary things' said Dr. Percival, is that now more women than men smoke and the people that have the highest rate .of starting to smoke are • teenaged girls. • Obesity is also a risk factor, especially people with big waists and narrow hips. This can be con: trolled by eating low fat, high fibre feeds. • If a woman has dia- betes, she should try to keep h under control to, decrease her risk of heart disease said Dr. Percival. The Village of Lucknow will be Flushing Hydrants Wednesday Thursday May 7th & 8th 0:414:11' sow RACEWAY 1.998 Season Opens Sat., May 9th • FREE ADMISSION E RY $AMID.ffitis May9 thru Sept. 5 • 7:29 p.m. 04.C. Simulcasting LOCAL OFF TRACK BETTING 'HOUSE Come help u$ celebrate Animal Health Week at Ripley -Huron Vet Clinic on Saturday, May 911998 from '10 AM4 PP/1.60e You there! . . , MI'LDNIAN STATION TAVERN 23 Absalom St. $67.2642 TARA. SIILICV SAM'S • 18 Yongp N. • 931-3752 Please Call Site For Schedule �eddlng Arrlvlflg Myll