ahs-admin's blog

Take care of your heart by taking matters into your own hands. You have the power to keep your heart health in check outside of the doctor’s office. Below are several ways you can be proactive in maintaining a healthy heart.

Do your research

Does heart disease run in your family? Has a member of your family suffered from a heart attack? Your family history plays a major role in your risk factors for heart disease and stroke. These are questions you should be asking and reviewing with your health care provider as soon as possible.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE)– Albuquerque seniors had a chance to check up on their health.

The Heart Hospital of New Mexico held a Senior Summit and Health Fair Saturday. Doctors met up with visitors and coordinated health screenings with those who asked for them. Dozens of people showed up for the event.

"It was well worth the trip down there to see if some of these vendors and see what was out there," says attendee Bryant Arnink.

Heath and wellness vendors also showed up, allowing seniors to check out different health tips.

The Madrid couple didn’t know that their five hour drive to Albuquerque would lead to open-heart surgery.

Arturo and his wife Pilar traveled from their cozy home in Anthony, New Mexico (located close to the border in southern NM) to seek better treatment and a recommendation for Arturo’s poor heart condition at the Heart Hospital of New Mexico at Lovelace Medical Center. “I couldn’t walk very far and I was always sleeping,” Arturo remembers.

Creating new habits or quitting less healthy habits can be stressful. It seems like it can take all the willpower you have. There are, however, ways to rejuvenate will power and understand the change process that can make changing not appear or feel so challenging.

The Transtheoretical Model or the Stages of Change help us see the cycle of how we decide to alter our behaviors. There are six steps and one “loophole” to acknowledge as part of the change process.

Precontemplation

Since 1989, Rio Grande Food Project (RGFP) has worked to prevent and end hunger for children, adults, and seniors throughout Albuquerque. Established in 1989 by several members of the Rio Grande Presbyterian Church, the efforts of RGFP has significantly grown ever since. The Rio Grande Food Project separated from the church in 2004 and has transformed into the largest food pantry on Albuquerque’s Westside, transporting about 90,000 lbs of food and serving close to 4,000 people every month. Lovelace Health System is fortunate to support this growing food pantry year after year.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program that was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 to promote, support, and encourage breastfeeding. BFHI recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. Lovelace Women’s Hospital is proud to be among these hospitals recognized as Baby-Friendly.

Why did we seek Baby-Friendly designation? 

Many of us engage in habits and routines that become second nature to us. Actions like waking up at a certain time or biting our nails are habits we either create or fall into. How do you tell the difference between an unhealthy habit and an addiction? This can be difficult since both are repetitive behaviors. Positive habits can become tools for survival, but some habitual behaviors can develop into harmful addictions.