The fact of a heart attack became a reality when I was told by the emergency room on-call cardiologist that I couldn't wait for family to arrive to the hospital for support. "There's no time to lose." He needed to perform a heart catheterization procedure immediately.

Three months after recovering from my heart surgery, I ran my first 5k. My goal was to run the entire race and finish, and that I did.

My life is not "go, go, go" all the time like it was before. I rest more, eat better and take some time for myself. I think we all get used to doing too much and learn to ignore minor ailments or fatigue because that is what women are programmed to do.

After a visit to the emergency room, followed by an appointment with a cardiologist, my life would soon take an unexpected turn. I was diagnosed with a rare congenital heart defect that was causing my heart valve to leak severely and enlarged my heart twice the normal size.

Heart disease is still the leading cause of death for both men and women, accounting for one in every four deaths, or about 600,000 a year, according ...

February is Heart Month. Since heart disease is the No. 1 killer of men and women, I thought I'd focus on prevention. After all, if you prevent heart disease, you're very unlikely to die from it.

I have gone from less than 5 percent heart function almost 12 years ago to normal heart function today. I am living well after being told I had 4.5-5 years to live. Please listen to your body and find a doctor that will listen. Going to the ER that day saved my life.

By all means, pay attention when the CDC says your heart is the key to your health today and tomorrow. But don't forget that heart health is the foundation of your emotional wellness, because what you feel in the body, mind and heart all flows together.

February is American Heart Month, and a time to raise awareness about heart disease and to educate the public on ways we can live heart-healthier lives. Here are several foods to include in your diet this month in honor of American Heart Month.

Even if your daily diet contains healthy fare like salmon and oatmeal, your heart could still be at risk.

The heart may be the main squeeze, but it relies on multiple partners, especially the kidneys. They work together as models of a successful, balanced and healthy relationship.

February is American Heart Month -- a time for all of us to refocus on preventing cardiovascular disease. So, here's a pop quiz. Who is more likely to die from a heart attack or other cardiovascular-related event?

February is American Heart Month, which makes this a good time to talk about the ways the Affordable Care Act helps us take better care of our hearts. Right now, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

In between the first and last of 29 days of blogging on heart attacks, someone I knew and loved had gone from being unable to participate in a heart study to narrowly missing the "widow maker." Heart disease is that stealthy.

A microbe attacked the lining of my heart once. In the ER, I asked the cardiologist if I was going to die. He never answered, he just sent the living will people in.

A diet too high in salt and too low in potassium doubles the risk of death from heart disease, according to a Center for Disease Control study led by researcher Elena V. Kuklina, M.D., Ph.D., a nutritional epidemiologist.

Hospitals and Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) have been implementing strategies to decrease door-to-balloon (D2B) time. Not familiar with D2B? It's the term for the time it takes to get a heart attack victim to the hospital for a cardiac angioplasty procedure (heart cath).

The crux of the matter is that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is increasingly thought of as an inflammation rather than a traditional "disease." Your age, gender, personal risk factors, and what you eat make a difference in when, and if, you develop this type of inflammation.

The best way I know to get your heart in better shape is to keep in mind your heart is a muscle. To make that muscle stronger and more powerful you have to work it and fight for it. There are tremendous benefits from exercise that are too long to list. However, some still think that exercising is like a chore, so I'd rather call it being more active.

Some fats promote good health, some don't. The Mayo Clinic recommends you enjoy good fats -- in moderation. But today you eat. Tomorrow, Ash Wednesday, you fast -- and moderation blows.

I really don't know how I could have missed the fact that within one year of having a heart attack, 42 percent of women will die and 24 percent of men. See for yourself at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services statistics website.

On Sunday, Feb. 19, Bobby Z, aka Robert Rivkin, will celebrate the one-year anniversary of surviving his heart attack with a rare reunion performance to benefit the American Heart Association with the help of his former bandmates.

Antioxidant-rich cranberry juice may boost heart health by decreasing arterial stiffness, according to a recent Tufts and Boston University study.