Mind + Body: November 2015

Love Your Heart: Manage your cholesterol levels for optimal heart health.

In a recent celebration of World Heart Day, New Orleans East Hospital partnered with national organizations (CardioSmart — the patient education and empowerment initiative from the American College of Cardiology — and the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention) to offer free cholesterol screenings and a free “Managing Your Cholesterol” Dinner & Learn event at NOEH.

According to the National Forum for Heart Disease & Stroke Prevention, heart disease is the No. 1 killer in New Orleans — and high cholesterol is a risk for heart disease. Also according to the organization, because the condition has no signs or symptoms, adults must be screened to find out if their cholesterol puts them at risk for heart disease.

Renowned cardiologist and New Orleans native Dr. Keith Ferdinand, who also serves as professor of Clinical Medicine at Tulane University School of Medicine’s Heart and Vascular Institute, led the World Heart Day Dinner & Learn event. Nearly 100 people were in attendance to hear Dr. Ferdinand’s speak about the basics of cholesterol, what cholesterol does to the arteries, ramifications from untreated cholesterol; what cholesterol treatment options are available; how their health care team can help them manage cholesterol; and where to go for additional resources for support.

“Elevated cholesterol will affect roughly one in two men and one in three women at some point in their lives,” Dr. Ferdinand says. “Yet many Americans do not know their cholesterol numbers, nor do they know if their levels put them at heighten risk for a heart attack or stroke. The “Managing Your Cholesterol” Dinner & Learn worked to fill that knowledge gap. In New Orleans, we love our food and we love our music, but we need to love our hearts as well.”

Having it All: A recent female empowerment event inspires success, balance and confidence for local New Orleanians.

In case you missed last month’s Inspiring Leaders: The Power of You event, hosted by Northwestern Mutual, here’s a quick summary of the professional, personal and financial inspiration provided by a team of globally renowned women leaders. The event took place at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters at City Park, with a seated lunch and a panel of speakers. The panel, moderated by Kimberley Goode, vice president of communications at Northwestern Mutual, included Alexa von Tobel, founder and CEO of LearnVest and the New York Times best-selling author of Financially Fearless; Moira Forbes, executive vice president of Forbes Media and publisher of ForbesWoman; and Beth Rodenhuis, senior vice president of field strategy and services for Northwestern Mutual.

Earlier this year, Northwestern Mutual teamed up with Forbes Insights on a study, Women and Finances: The Power of Empowerment, which revealed some key insights about women and finances. For example, the study found that a majority of women feel confident they can attain their life goals, but only 27 percent believe they will achieve their financial goals. The hourlong panel discussion focused on defining and creating success, financial empowerment, discovering an authentic leadership style and finding the elusive work-life balance — all in an effort to address the increasing role women are playing professionally, at home and in society.

Key insights from the panel discussion included embracing failures (because success often follows after multiple attempts); trusting in yourself that you can make your dreams a reality; taking risks (because all rewards come at a price); and fully developing and embracing your authentic self. And when it comes to that work-life balance we all hear so much about, von Tobel offered up several tips that are sure to help many working moms in the New Orleans community.

“I am extremely organized,” says the new mom in response to how she juggles home and family life. “I do a lot to take out the decision making. I have deliveries all on repeat; I auto-pay bills; I eat the same thing on the same days each week. I do my best to kill any decisions — there’s a term for it, and it’s called decision fatigue — so that I can store up my abilities to solve problems.” Visit Northwestern Mutual’s Website for exclusive content, featuring career, lifestyle and financial topics important to women who want to make impact. northwesternmutual.com

*Maria’s Pick
Temperatures Rising: A new smart thermometer tracks illness so you can better care for your family.

Kinsa, the first FDA-cleared smartphone-connected thermometer and health tracking app, aims to transform how people care for themselves and their families by providing a real-time map of human health. The thermometer connects to a mobile device via the headphone jack and is designed to make temperature-taking more engaging and informative.

Kinsa uses the smartphone’s display screen to determine a precise temperature reading in less than 10 seconds. It also provides fun, animated visuals throughout a temperature reading to calm, distract and engage children during the process. A special feature alerts parents if the thermometer slips out of place.

Users create individual profiles in the Kinsa app for each family member, and then they can track fever, symptoms and illness history. Parents can use this information to report the progression of illnesses to pediatricians, keep track of medication dosages and timing, and even photograph any physical symptoms as part of an entry. Soon, the Kinsa app will also help signal an outbreak of sickness in a user’s area.

“I love that Kinsa also provides users with guidance on what to do next, based on symptoms,” says New Orleans Living publisher, Maria Muro. “This is a super handy device, especially during cold and flu season.” The Kinsa Smart Thermometer retails for $30 and is available at Apple and CVS Pharmacy stores. kinsahealth.com