Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - Community Healthcare - (Page 18)

Test your knowledge when it comes to brain attacks and learn what you can do to protect yourself SenSe Stroke runs in the family like grandpa’s blue eyes and grandma’s wavy hair, and there’s really not much you can do to avoid it. Str ke illusTraTions By ellen weinsTein By lori K. BaKer True or false: answer: False! In the past, a stroke was like a lightning bolt out of the blue: unpredictable, unpreventable, untreatable and devastating. But today, researchers know that many “brain attacks” can be prevented by controlling certain risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also spells trouble if you smoke cigarettes, pack on too many pounds, drink too much and don’t exercise. Still, life can deal out other risk factors like an unlucky card hand, with age, ethnicity and heredity also playing a role in strokes. Many of us are dangerously ignorant of the risk factors and warning signs of stroke. As the nation’s third leading cause of death (trailing heart disease and cancer) stroke leaves many survivors with lifelong disabilities. Take this quiz to find out what health issues could be putting you at risk and what you can do to protect yourself. Check each question that applies to you. Then, read on to learn more. 18 Vim & Vigor • WI N TER 2 010

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - Community Healthcare

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - Community Healthcare
Contents
Community Message
Community Briefs
Special: Stroke of Luck
Healing Heroes from the Inside Out
A Step Ahead of PAD
Smart Moves
Miss Information
Stroke Sense
Gut Feelings
The Scoop on Stress
The Faces of Skin Cancer
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
A Natural Dilemma
17 Reasons to Work in Healthcare
Spotlight on St. Catherine Hospital
Spotlight on St. Mary Medical Center
Spotlight on Community Hospital
Hospitals Unite

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - Community Healthcare