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Welcome from Vantage Business Support & Insurance Services
As an added benefit to our customers and associates VANTAGE is publishing a semimonthly newsletter with information, interactive tools, podcasts and other resources to help you live healthier. We will explore topics on total health and resources for you and your family, including fitness, nutrition, mental and physical health, weight management and more.
Thank you for being part of the VANTAGE family.
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Please view our products list in the right sidebar.
This is just a sampling of what we feel would be important to you. We have much more to offer. If you have any questions or need more information please contact us at 877-886-8277 or click the link below.
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What Does a Heart Attack Feel Like?
 The symptoms of heart attack and angina can feel very similar - only medical professionals can tell whether you need emergency care.
Heart attacks aren't a rare occurrence: Each year in the United States, about 1.2 million people have heart attacks, and many of them die, according to the National Institutes of Health.
If you think you're having a heart attack, it's always an emergency situation, whether or not you've previously experienced angina pain.
What happens when you're having a heart attack? A clot in an artery causes the blood supply to one or more areas of the heart muscle to be cut off. The longer those areas are without blood - and oxygen - the greater the chance that the tissue will be permanently, irreversibly damaged.
With angina (recurrent episodes of chest pain due to partial blockage of coronary arteries) blood supply is also cut off, but only partially and temporarily, so permanent heart muscle damage does not occur. "Time is muscle - that's what we say in cardiology," says Donna Miller, a nurse practitioner in the department of cardiology at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y. The longer the heart muscle is without oxygen, the more severe the damage.
Chest Pain Scenario 1: Angina
You've been living with stable angina. The symptoms you're experiencing right now, though, deviate from your usual pattern in some way. Maybe they are:
* More severe
* Don't ease with rest
* Began when you were not under physical or emotional stress
If you are feeling symptoms that include pain or pressure in the middle of your chest, arm, neck, or jaw; nausea; shortness of breath; and/or cold sweats, these may well be signs of something more serious this time - a heart attack.
Whether it's a heart attack or angina pain, you're likely not qualified to make the diagnosis. Even if this episode does turn out to be angina, you are nonetheless now much more at risk of a heart attack.
In this situation, you should be prepared to call 911; the AHA recommends waiting no longer than five minutes after the first signs and symptoms. If someone else is with you, don't let them talk you out of making that 911 call.
However, says Miller, there is one circumstance in which you can wait for a few more minutes: if you have nitroglycerin on hand.
"Generally, someone with angina has been prescribed nitroglycerin tablets or spray, with instructions to rest and take one dose when symptoms occur," she says. "Take one dose and give it five minutes to work. If it doesn't, take another and wait another five minutes."
If the symptoms are still present, take a third dose, and wait another five minutes. "If the pain has not been completely relieved, you must call 911 right away and get taken to the nearest emergency room," says Miller. If, while trying the nitroglycerin, your symptoms get worse instead of better, call 911 immediately.
If you've been prescribed nitroglycerin but have none on hand, call 911 immediately.
Chest Pain Scenario 2: First-Time Angina or Heart Attack?
You don't have a history of angina pain, but have heard about angina, maybe because friends or family members have described their own angina symptoms to you. You have never felt chest pain like this before. You suspect it could be angina, but then again, could it be a heart attack?
In this case, don't wait: Call 911.
Chest Pain: Why Call 911?
Calling for emergency help is your best plan because medical professionals can assess your condition and administer oxygen and drugs, if necessary, that will increase your odds of survival if you're having a heart attack. They'll get you to the hospital quickly, where you'll get immediate attention and further angina treatment. Artery-clearing drugs to treat a heart attack work best if administered within an hour after symptoms begin.
Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) who respond to 911 calls can also administer aspirin, which is recommended in the event of a heart attack. Yes, you could take an aspirin on your own, but EMTs are trained to do much more to save your heart muscle - and possibly your life - if you are, indeed, having a heart attack.
Even if you are near a hospital emergency room when symptoms develop, you're better off getting there by ambulance rather than some other means. A chest pain patient who arrives by ambulance will often be seen faster by emergency room personnel.
And there is an even more important reason to travel by ambulance. One complication of a heart attack is the occurrence of life-threatening arrythmias (abnormal heart rhythms) that can result in sudden death. This situation needs to be treated by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and by delivering an electrical current to the chest with a defibrillator. These can be lifesaving if done immediately by an EMT in the ambulance.
If the chest pain you are having is not your "usual" angina attack, or if you've never had chest pain before - don't delay. Call 911, and let the EMTs get your evaluation and treatment started immediately. Your heart will thank you for it.
SOURCE: Gayle Turim Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH |
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DID YOU KNOW???
Strawberries
 8 Health Benefits of Strawberries
Everyone knows that strawberries are delicious. However, did you know just what a nutritional powerhouse they are? Here are eight reasons to include strawberries in your diet.
Diet One cup of strawberries contains over 13% of the RDA of dietary fiber, yet only 43 calories. The dietary fiber in strawberries helps to keep digestion regular, as well as lowers blood pressure and curbs overeating.
Antioxidants Strawberries contain a chemical compound called phenols. Anthocyanin, a particular phenol abundantly found in strawberries, lends the rich red color to the fruit. Though anthocyanin is known to have antioxidant properties within the fruit, it is debated as to whether the antioxidant agents in anthocyanin-rich foods can be absorbed into the body once digested. Fortunately, however, it is known that when anthocyanin-rich foods are consumed, the body's uric acid levels increase, which serves as an antioxidant agent.
Anti-Inflammatory The phenols in strawberries also fight against many inflammatory disorders, such as osteoarthritis, asthma and atherosclerosis, by inhibiting the enzyme cyclooxygenase (COX) in the same way that the drugs aspirin and ibuprofen do. Strawberries, however, do not carry unwanted side effects like stomach and intestinal bleeding.
Anti-Cancer The combination of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents found in strawberries is well-known to fight against the onset of many different forms of cancer. Thanks to the vitamin C, folate, and the flavonoids quercetin and kaempferol that they also contain, strawberries are a delicious defense against potentially cancerous cells.
Healthy Eyes The Archives of Opthalmology recently published a study in which three or more servings of strawberries (and other fruits) per day can decrease the possibility of contracting age-related macular degeneration by over one-third.
The Vigorous Vitamin C One cup of strawberries contains an incredible 136% of the RDA of vitamin C, an effective antioxidant that can help lower blood pressure, ensure a healthy immune system, and ward off the development of age-related ocular diseases, such as cataracts and macular degeneration.
Magnificent Manganese One cup of strawberries contains 21% of manganese, an essential nutrient that acts as a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. By increasing the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), the enzyme responsible for protecting mitochonrdria exposed to oxygen, manganese not only helps to fight the battle against free radicals and oxidative stress, but also lessens cellular inflammation -- another cause of numerous cardiovascular diseases.
Bone Health Manganese is also great for the bones, helping in bone building and maintaining proper bone structure. The potassium, vitamin K, and magnesium in strawberries are also important for bone health
SOURCE: healthydiaries.com
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Here's your "QuoteAction" for this issue:
"Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections."
Author, Gerard Ways
Your action for today is to see if you can go through your whole day choosing to be happy.
Have an extraordinary day!
SOURCE: Betty Jo Waxman
Productive Learning & Leisure, LLC |
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Disclaimer of Liability
Our firm provides the information in this e-newsletter for general guidance only, and does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax advice, accounting services, investment advice, or professional consulting of any kind. The information provided herein should not be used as a substitute for consultation with professional tax, accounting, legal, or other competent advisers. Before making any decision or taking any action, you should consult a professional adviser who has been provided with all pertinent facts relevant to your particular situation. Tax articles in this e-newsletter are not intended to be used, and cannot be used by any taxpayer, for the purpose of avoiding accuracy-related penalties that may be imposed on the taxpayer. The information is provided "as is," with no assurance or guarantee of completeness, accuracy, or timeliness of the information, and without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of performance, merchantability, and fitness for a particular purpose.
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| Health & Wellness Products |
VANTAGE has a wide range of products designed to aid in health & wellness for both your personal and business life.
These products include:
Health Insurance Exchange
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| CONTACTS |
Please contact one of our VANTAGE professionals for assistance or click on the help picture. Paul White 510-595-0904
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