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THE NEW TANNERTHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2009 5 Acton Branch 36 Mill Street East Acton, Ontario L7J 1H2 Tel: (519) 853-2420 Direct: (519) 853-2992 Fax: (519) 853-4009 www.scotiabank.ca Help to advance heart and stroke research Please give generously Ron Henry BARRISTER & SOLICITOR Serving the Community for over 30 years 67 Mill St. East, Acton & 27 Cork St. Guelph 853-1160 Please give generously Support the Heart & Stroke Foundation Give generously when the canvasser calls. Margaret and Bob Serving Acton, Georgetown, Milton, Campbellville, Rockwood, Hillsburg, Glen Williams, Terra Cotta, Erin and Ballinafad. Licensed by the GTAA/ Pearson International Airport. JETLINK Airport Service PICK UP TO/ FROM YOUR DOOR - TO/ FROM TORONTO AIRPORT. CALL TO BOOK. (519) 853-1550 OR TOLL FREE A division of Tyler Transport Ltd. 1-800-73TYLER (1-800-738-9537) Give from the heart for the Heart! Purchase a Dozen Red Roses and we will donate $5.00 to The Heart and Stroke Foundation COME VISIT OUR $20.00 AND UNDER GIFT SHOP! Come see our Jewelery Collection All $20.00 and under! Necklace sets starting from $10.00 and up Valentine Bath Gift Baskets starting from $9.99 Modern. Trendy Giftware and Glass Vases all $20.00 and under! Blue Springs Flower and Gift Shop 46-48 Mill St. E. Acton ON. Tel: 519-853-0800 Help support the Heart & Stroke Foundation Eye examinations available on site Please give generously Nancy Wilkes, Registered Optician 4 Mill Street East, Acton, Ontario L7J 1G9 519-853-5133 www.actonoptical.ca At the four corners in downtown Acton Reserved parking behind store RBC Royal Bank Judy Williamson Branch Manager Royal Bank of Canada Market Place Plaza 370 Queen Street Acton, ON L7J 2N3 judy.williamson@rbc.com Tel: 519-853-6106 Fax: 519-853-6111 Thanks to all the Volunteers Be heart healthy 519.853.2650 DD$ Dollar Stretcher Daze 8 Main Street North Acton. Tel: 519-853-9615 8 Main St. N. Acton 519-83-9615 Our thanks to the Volunteer Canvassers! Your one stop shop for party needs, pre-made loot bags, helium ballons Stroke sudden loss of brain function A stroke is a sudden loss of brain function. It is caused by the interruption of flow of blood to the brain (Ischemic stroke) or the rupture of blood vessels in the brain (Hemorrhagic stroke). The interruption of blood flow or the rupture of blood vessels cases brain cells (Neurons) in the affected area to die. The effects of a stroke de- pend on where the brain was injured, as well as how much damage occurred. A stroke can impact any number of areas including our ability to move, see, remember, speak, reason and read and write. In a small number of cases, stroke-like damage to the brain can occur when the heart stops (cardiac ar- rest). The longer the brain goes without the oxygen and nutrients supplied by the blood flow, the greater the risk of permanent brain damage. Brain injuries can also result in uncontrolled bleeding and permanent brain damage. This is usually referred to as an Acquired Brain Injury. Effects of a stroke Each stroke is different. How well you recover from a stroke depends upon many factors, including how much and what parts of your brain were damaged and your health before the stroke. The work you do with your stroke rehabilitation team and the support from family and friends are also important to your recovery. A stroke damages the brain and causes a sudden loss of brain function. Because your brain controls everything you say, do and think a stroke can have a lot of different ef- fects. Stroke prevention You cant control your family history, age, gender or ethnicity. But luckily, you can do something about other factors that could in- crease your risk of having a stroke such as obesity, diet, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Stroke occurs when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off. Without oxygen-rich blood, brain cells begin to die. If blood supply is not restored, the effected part of the brain dies, causing disability and death. Help prevent a stroke by learning more about the risk factors you can do some- thing about and those you cant control. Risk issues you can do something about. High blood pressure (hypertension) High blood cholesterol Heart disease atrial fi- brillation Diabetes Being overweight Excessive alcohol con- sumption Physical inactivity Smoking Stress Womans unique issues Women are living longer, healthier lives then ever be- fore. Thats why its even more important today to prevent the leading causes of death among Canadian women: heart disease and stroke. In fact, according to Statistics Canada (2003), the number of deaths from heart disease and stroke is now virtually the same between women and men: 36,823 versus 37,004. While most of the risk fac- tors, signs and symptoms are the same in women as they are in men, there are unique aspects to womens heart health that you should know: Estrogen Birth control pills Pregnancy Menopause Cholesterol Triglycerides Heart attack Poor lifestyle choices increases heart risk Many health conditions arise as a result of lifestyle choices such as poor diet or negative behaviours: smoking or excessive drinking. Others are the result of genetics, like being born with defect. Controllable factors that are associated with heart failure include smoking, poor diet (particularly eating foods that hare high in chol- esterol), lack of exercise, and being overweight. In other words, any of those conditions only increase a persons risk of heart failure. They can also manifest themselves in several different ways: Coronary Artery Disease: when cholesterol and fatty deposits build up in heart arteries, lessening the amount of blood that reach- es the heart, forcing it to work harder as a result. Hypertension: also known as high blood pressure, increases a persons risk of developing heart failure by two to three times. Hypertension occurs from too much stress, be it work or family related. A way to relive stress is through regular exercise. People who do not exercise regularly increase their risk of hypertension, and in doing so, their risk of heart failure. Lung disease: when the lungs are not functioning properly, it causes the heart to work that much more to get oxygen to the rest of the body. Smoking increases the risk of lung disease, which then increases the risk of heart failure.