#nehd

Greetings! I hope you are having a great fall. I just returned from a 6-month sabbatical in England where I was fortunate to be studying at the University of Cambridge. I hope to share with you in a future newsletter the results of the heart disease projects I started during my work there. In the meantime, there is much going on in the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate to share.

You may have heard about this month’s CDC report on mortality data that shows that the age-adjusted death rate for heart disease has dropped 1.8% and the age-adjusted death rate for stroke has dropped 2.6%. The CDC report is part of a much larger trend over the years – including a more than 30 percent decline in the death rates for heart disease, stroke and overall cardiovascular diseases from 2000 to 2012. This positive progress against cardiovascular disease is in many ways due to the work of the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association, our volunteers, donors, sponsors, partners and staff. Learn more and feel free to share this encouraging news at heart.org.

I recently attended the Mid-Atlantic Affiliate Board of Director’s meeting in Richmond where we discussed our quarter one progress and our priorities for the upcoming year. It was particularly inspiring to hear about our new “Life is Why” brand and share WHY we are personally invested in the work of the AHA. Here is a slideshow of each board member and Nancy sharing their "why." 

Next week the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association will join with other organizations across the globe to celebrate World Stroke Day on October 29. World Stroke Day was established by the World Stroke Organization in 2006 to heighten awareness of the international high risk of stroke death and disability. You can help by sharing this infographic regarding the warning signs and how to respond quickly to a stroke emergency. Additional resources and tools such as social media messaging, campaign activation ideas and more are available in the World Stroke Day Toolkit.

November 5 is National Eating Healthy Day. This year’s theme “Produce Results” urges Americans to make healthier food choices by adding a fruit or vegetable serving at every meal and snack. Here are a few tips to help you add more fruits and vegetables into your daily diet:

Different fruits and vegetables contain different nutrients. Eat a “rainbow” so your body gets as many nutrients as possible.

Enjoy fresh, frozen, canned and dried fruits and vegetables, but watch for sugary syrups and salty sauces.

Buy fruits and vegetables in season. Seasonal produce is usually the freshest, tastiest and most affordable.

The American Heart Association provides a complete toolkit of materials and how-to information for workplaces, schools, individuals and community organizations. Please encourage others to check out the National Eating Healthy Day webpage to register for the free materials and help us spread the word!

As always, let me know if there is anything I can do to help us follow the shared passion that had brought us together.

Sincerely,

Wayne D. Rosamond President, Board of Directors, Mid-Atlantic Affiliate