Heart screening can change lives

Special to the NNPA from the Insight News(NNPA) - Lavonne Carson knew that she was at risk. With a history of heart disease and diabetes in her family, Carson knew instinctively that if she wanted to maintain a full and healthy lifestyle, she had to be more aware of her health, in particular, her heart health. Carson had good reason to be worried. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States. Over 300,000 women died from heart disease in 2006. Heart disease is also the leading cause of death among African-American women. In 2007, the Minnesota Department of Health reported that in Minnesota African-American women die from heart disease at a 30 percent higher rate than White women. Because of Carson's risk of heart disease and diabetes, she enrolled in the SagePlus program offered through the Minnesota Department of Health.

SagePlus provides free heart health screening and lifestyle change counseling to eligible women. Carson, a patient at NorthPoint Health and Wellness Center in Minneapolis and a previous participant in Sage, was able to set up a SagePlus appointment at the clinic where a nurse measured her blood pressure, blood glucose, cholesterol level and body mass index (BMI). SagePlus covered Carson's screening as well as the office visit she had with a lifestyle coach who reviewed the results from her tests. Carson, an active 56-year-old, was encouraged by what she heard from the lifestyle coach. "My results were okay, but they told me that my blood pressure was higher than it needed to be and I needed to bring it down," she said.

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, prevents the blood from flowing freely to the heart. When blood flow is restricted from entering the heart, heart disease may follow. Other factors including obesity, diabetes, tobacco use, lack of physical activity and high cholesterol can also increase a person's risk of heart disease and stroke.

"SagePlus is a chance for women to significantly impact their health," said Anne Kukowski, the SagePlus program director. "We educate and empower them to make lifestyle choices."

Making lifestyle choices is an important component of the SagePlus program. Clinical studies done at the National Institute of Health show that people can reduce their risk of heart disease if they simply change their eating and exercise habits and, if they smoke cigarettes, to stop. "Environmental factors push women toward having unhealthy habits" said Kukowski. "We try to help [our participants] be aware of the choices they make in their daily lives and to make the changes they need to become healthier."

The SagePlus program offers two Smart Choices! plans to help women reduce their risk for heart disease and improve their overall health - the Steps walking plan and the fruits and vegetables plan. Carson enrolled in both of these SagePlus plans to lower her blood pressure. "For years I tried to stay healthy, do a lot of walking and changing my eating habits," said Carson. "But these programs really got me interested in wanting to do more and learn more about my health." Carson added that her lifestyle coach showed her how she could improve her health by creating achievable goals that will fit her lifestyle.

"We focus on small measurable steps toward women's health goals," said Kukowski in describing the SagePlus program._"That's how our women can achieve success in creating lasting lifestyle changes." _As part of the Smart Choices! plan Carson received a pedometer and tracking cards to record her steps and the number of fruits and vegetables she ate. She was required to mail the cards to her lifestyle coach. "Filling out those cards kept me motivated," said Carson who also kept the letters she received from the program that notified her about her progress to reaching her goals.

"The program pushed me to be more aware of my health and what I could do even with my age," said Carson. "After a while we think because of our age, we don't think we can do much," she added.

Carson also enjoyed having her lifestyle coach check up on her through periodic phone calls. "[My lifestyle coach] gave me motivation to keep going," said Carson. "She gave me the feeling that there's someone else with me and that I wasn't just doing it by myself. Some days you just need that." With the help of the SagePlus program, Carson succeeded in reaching her goal and walked a million steps within eight months. "I got this lovely SagePlus jacket," said Carson of the incentive she received to mark her accomplishment. "That was very nice." _Carson doesn't deny that she worked very hard to improve her eating habits and raise her activity level. But she added that all the hard work was worth it. "I don't think that to this day I could go as far as I did from a year ago," said Carson. "But now my blood pressure level is lower than I could ever imagine." Carson said she wants all women to try SagePlus if they are eligible.

"If you have a family and children, if you know that they love you and if you want to see your grandchildren graduate from school and be able to get around and play with them then it's important to have yourself checked out," said Carson. "Don't wait until something happens."

The SagePlus program is offered at select clinics in conjunction with Sage, Minnesota's Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening Program. Both programs offer free screening services for Minnesotan women age 40 to 64 years old, who are uninsured or underinsured, and whose income does not exceed Sage's guidelines. A woman must be enrolled in the Sage program to take part in the SagePlus heart health program. _To find out if you qualify for Sage and SagePlus, call toll-free at 1-888-6HEALTH (1-888-643-2584) promo code N24.