What better day than Valentine’s Day to think about American Heart Month? To show true love, get on board for learning more about cardiovascular disease and prevention. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Since 1963 the president has proclaimed February  as American Heart Month.

Heart Disease Risks

• Smoking
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Unhealthy diet
• Physical inactivity
• Secondhand Smoke
• Congenital Heart Defects
• Arrhythmia
• Heart failure
• Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD)
• List of other diseases and conditions

Prevention

• Stop smoking
• Lose weight
• Lower cholesterol – try diet with doctor’s approval before beginning prescription medications
• Eat healthier – Eat foods low in fat, salt and sugar. Eat less red meat and choose cuts of meat that are lean. Eat more fruits and vegetables.
• Exercise
• See your doctor for annual physicals or more often depending on your circumstances
• Don’t let chest pain, shortness of breath or other signs of a heart attack go unchecked

Celebrate Valentine’s Day and American Heart Month!

The MDA has announced a new ambassador who has Myastenia Gravis. Anastasia Corp is 8 years old was diagnosed with MG at the age of 2.

Anastasia is Pennsylvannia’s new Goodwill Ambassador for the MDA. She’ll help with fundraising, educational and special events for 2011. She’s described as “well-spoken, lively and affectionate.”

State Goodwill Ambassadors travel throughout the state and help share information about the MDA. Please visit the Muscular Dystrophy Association to learn more about Myasthenia Gravis and other diseases covered by the MDA.

Stand Up To Cancer is providing eCards for the holiday season. It’s a wonderful way to remind those you love about what they can do to help this important non-profit and to help anyone who is living with cancer. When you purchase an eCard, you’re making a donation to Stand Up To Cancer as well for cancer research – $5.00 per card up to 24 emails, and $4.75 per card for 25-49 emails. You can also chose to print out the cards.

Here’s an example of one that I like -

There’s not many people I know that cancer hasn’t touched in one way or another. Either they themselves have or had it or have a family member or friend with cancer. For me, my sister died at the age of 33 from Leukemia, my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 80 and many friends have been diagnosed or died. I’ve been touched by celebrities who have been open about their diagnosis and treatment too and those that have chosen to donate their time to work with Stand Up To Cancer to make us aware about raising money or getting tests that we sometimes dread.

This is my all time favorite video for Stand Up To Cancer featuring Jim Parsons -

Giveaway – One Su2C Bracelet and One “Up2” Black T-Shirt for a Man or Women

Rules:

1. Contest starts now and ends December 22nd midnight EST.
2. Open to adults 18 and over from US.
3. One person per household.
4. Winner will be chosen by Random.org.
5. Winner have 2 days to claim prize via email.
6. Have fun and tell your friends.

How To Enter:

For One Entry For Each Below: (please leave a separate comment for each entry)

1. Leave a comment about something you do to either raise money for cancer research or raise awareness about cancer.
2. Follow ConnieFoggles. Please leave your Twitter ID.
3. Follow SU2C on Twitter. Please leave your Twitter ID
4. Like Stand Up To Cancer on Facebook. Leave your Facebook ID please.
5. Tweet this exactly. You may tweet this daily: (leave a link to your tweet or your Twitter ID)

#Win @Su2C shirt and bracelet @ConnieFoggles http://bit.ly/eBDeDI #giveaway PL RT

There was no compensation for this post. Information and the giveaway items are provided by Stand Up To Cancer. All opinions are my own.

Giveaway Ended

The Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation now has videos available on their website. These videos have also been provided to doctors as DVDs to give to their patients. There is a series of videos that also follow personal stories of  people diagnosed. You can find all of the videos on the Sjogren’s Syndrome Foundation Facebook page.

The video, A Place To Begin, provides an explanation of Sjogren’s Syndrome, how it is diagnosed, symptoms and treatments. Here’s the link to it: Sjögren’s Syndrome: A Place To Begin from Sjögren’s Syndrome Foundation on Vimeo.

If you are considering a donation as a holiday gift, the Sjogren’s Foundation is a nice way to honor someone who has this disease.

Movember – the month originally known as November – is a fund raising event for prostate cancer awareness and research. Men start with a clean shaven face on November 1st and then grow a Mo (moustache) “to change the face of men’s health”.  You can still join Movember USA and take part in the Gala Parties, Mo Parties and Fine Line Art Exhibitions. You can win prizes by taking part in competitions, make donations and share about Movember by posting photos of you with your Mo, joining the Movember USA Facebook page and creating your own Mo Space page.

Have fun with Movember! Even women can get involved by adding a moustache to your photo using graphics or helping a team or member raise money.

Here’s a link to the Movember health checklist. Even if you don’t grow a Mo for Movember, be sure to get informed about prostate cancer.

Love Simple DVD sales (10% of proceeds) will be donated to the Lupus Research Foundation (Lupus Research Institute).

Your Indie Films/Synergetic Distribution has acquired worldwide distribution rights for the film Love Simple, directed by Mark von Sternberg. The film will be available for purchase internationally on Tuesday, November 11. The story of Love Simple is based on a woman, Seta, who has lupus and a man, Adam, who lives at home and cares for his sick father. Both meet and are not honest about their situations.

This is a romantic comedy that shows what a person with lupus goes through in her every day life. It helps raise awareness about lupus and by pre-ordering it you can help raise money for research.

If you pre-order Love Simple on Amazon.com you’ll get these offers as well:

• Pre-order Price Guarantee! Order now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you’ll receive the lowest price. Here’s how (restrictions apply)
• Get $4 worth of eligible movies and TV shows from Amazon Video On Demand after you order your item. Limited to one promotional credit per customer. Here’s how (restrictions apply)
• Save up to 60% on select seasons of top TV shows, including 30 Rock, Eureka, and Friday Night Lights. Offer ends November 6, 2010.

Help support the Lupus Research Foundation and enjoy the great movie, Love Simple.