SENIOR MOMENT

By BETTY MUNSEY/Columnist

Sixty-two year old Bishop Barnett Thoroughgood, the longtime minister of the New Jerusalem Church of God in Christ in Virginia Beach, had just delivered a fiery sermon two weeks ago when he collapsed and died as his startled congregation looked on. Recordings of his sermon revealed his final words: “Some of us think that we’re going to live forever. Because you’re not sick, because you have good health, and you think you have plenty of time, but you don’t know where death is standing.”

A 62-year-old long-distance trucker driving on I-85 near Charlotte, N.C., crashed his big rig through the guardrail before dropping down a 40-foot embankment. Cause of death according to his autopsy was a heart attack.

A greatly loved Bland County farmer, elementary school aide and school bus driver died within hours of finishing his bus route in 2010 from an apparent heart attack at age 71.

All three men died suddenly in the prime of their productive lives with heart disease as the one unifying factor. Heart disease was once considered a male dominated disease but today’s statistics reveal that of the over 600,000 Americans who will die this year due to heart attacks, half will be women.

Heart disease is the number one killer of women and kills more than the next four killers combined.  Every 90 seconds another woman suffers a heart attack with women more likely to die from their first heart attack (26 percent).

TV personality, professional attorney and a heart attack survivor Star Jones supports the American Heart Association’s February is Heart Month efforts by sharing details of her heart experiences and wearing a red outfit each day during February. For most of her life Jones struggled with weight issues which escalated to over 300 pounds before she had gastric bypass surgery in 2003. Jones related during a “Today Show” interview that “I’m alive today because I decided to lose weight and take control of my health by eating less and moving more to save my life.”

Knowing and responding immediately to these symptoms of a heart attack can be lifesaving: chest pain, nausea, dizziness, cold sweats, shortness of breath, and fatigue. Call 911 immediately especially if you’re home alone.

Sadly almost half of all senior citizens have two or more heart disease risk factors including obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure.

It’s never too late to adopt these five healthy habits for healthy hearts as suggested by the Mayo Clinic: 1. Don’t smoke or use tobacco. Stopping either has almost immediate positive results. 2. Strive to get 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days. 3. Eat a heart healthy diet that’s low in salt, cholesterol, and saturated fats yet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and low-fat dairy foods. 4. Maintain a healthy weight. 5. And have regular screenings for cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes. All of these can be achieved through a close relationship with the patients and their health care professionals.

Contact Betty Munsey at seniorthoughts@yahoo.com.