I was the quintessence of heart disease and I did not know it

The TV personality and the heart disease survivor hope her trip will help other women take control of their heart health.

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In 2003, Star Jones decided to take charge of his weight and health by undergoing a weight loss surgery. Over the next two years she lost 160 pounds.

"I felt really good. I ate well, had regular exercise and did everything I needed to do, "Jones told Healthline.

She was therefore taken by surprise when she began to experience shortness of breath, lightheadedness, extreme fatigue and intense heart palpitations in 2010.

"I knew something was wrong, so I went to see my cardiologist. After two days of testing, I learned that I had a dysfunctional aortic valve, "Jones said. "If I did not move quickly, he would have to be replaced, and if he could not, I would need a heart transplant."

Jones decided to have a preemptive open-heart surgery to ward off a cardiac event.

"I took control of my own health. I was my own lawyer. I was also scared, she said. "Six days after an open heart surgery, I came out of the hospital completely recovered, except that I had to regain my life. So for three months, I did an intense cardio-rehabilitation. "

During his recovery, Jones felt the urgent need to promote heart health.

"I should have known about it [of my risks]. However, I did not know that heart disease was the leading cause of death among all Americans, the first among African Americans and the first among women, "she said. "I should have been warned because I'm three years old for three."

Her mother's family also suffers from heart disease, making Jones a fifth-generation heart disease survivor. The fact that she is obese for most of her adult life and that she leads a sedentary life also puts her in danger.

"I really was the quintessence of heart disease without even knowing it," Jones said.

Jones has partnered with the American Heart Association and its Go Red for Women movement in 2011 to share its history and make known heart disease.

"I was one of the millions of women who thought that heart disease was a disease of the old white man," she said.

The American Heart Association reports that cardiovascular disease kills a woman every 80 seconds or so. Yet, 80% of cardiovascular disease can be prevented through education and lifestyle changes.

"When that happened, I called the American Heart Association almost out of the hospital to tell her that there was a new face of heart disease and I want to share what I've learned, "Jones said. "It's the work and purpose of my life, to truly advance the mission of eradicating cardiovascular disease and stroke in our country."

Jones emphasizes prevention, which begins with "Knowing your numbers" to help you understand your risk of heart disease.

The American Heart Association states that the five key personal health numbers you want to know are total cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and body mbad index. .

"Knowing this information will help you establish a game plan with your doctor," Jones said. "While 1 in [38] women will die of bad cancer, one in three women, if we do not make changes, will die of heart disease. "

She added, "You know you're supposed to have a mammogram, but did you know that you're supposed to have your blood pressure checked? Did you know that you are supposed to know your cholesterol number? Did you know that you are supposed to know your blood sugar level? This kind of thing will save your life. "

It's important to educate women about the importance of these numbers, says Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York and a medical expert with the American Heart Association's Go Red for Women movement.

"This is the fifteenth year of the Go Red for Women initiative. When we started, about 20% of women were aware of heart disease and we are now at 50 or 60%, "Steinbaum told Healthline. "Many women do not believe that heart disease is a threat to health. We must obtain [every] woman to understand that she needs to think about her heart. The sooner we can have prevention and treatment, [the sooner it] can have an impact on what will happen to us in the future. "

If an internist or treating physician can determine your total cholesterol, your HDL cholesterol, your blood pressure, your blood sugar and your body mbad index, Steinbaum says that understanding your total risk may require intervention. a specialist.

For example, if you have gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia or high blood pressure during your pregnancy, your risk of heart disease after pregnancy and throughout your life increases.

"This year, every woman must understand not only those [five] numbers, but also your whole life. What is your family history and what happened to you during your pregnancy? Knowing your entire story can get you to go see someone who really cares about heart disease and prevention, "Steinbaum said.

If you do not have access to care, or if you do not want to wait to see your doctor, CVS Health offers free heart health screenings every Thursday in February at the country's MinuteClinic sites.

"Part of empowering yourself is about defending your health and yourself and taking charge of your health," Steinbaum said. "I hope this year – our fifteenth year of Go Red for Women – will be the year when women will really take charge of their heart health."

Jones agrees.

"Women are used to being the caregivers of the world. It is time for us to take care of ourselves, "she said.

Cathy Cbadata is an independent writer who specializes in stories about health, mental health and human behavior. She has the gift of emotionally writing and communicating with readers in a perceptive and engaging manner. Read more about his work right here.