If you could find out by next week whether you have heart disease, would you want to know? There is a readily available, non-invasive test known as a heart scan or coronary artery calcium test that takes about 10 minutes and can tell you a lot about your potential heart disease risk. Some people would rather not know. But this course is for those that want to feel empowered by knowing their score. Wouldn't it feel wonderful that your score of zero very likely means you are at no risk of a heart attack now or for the foreseeable future, say the next 5 years? On the other hand, if your score showed you already have heart disease, would that make you feel like a victim, make you worry, make you depressed? Maybe. But just imagine that having the "head's up" knowledge that you have a potential risk motivates you to do something about it. That should make you feel empowered, don't you think? You can take control immediately. You can do simple measurements on yourself including your height and waist size and that alone will get you kickstarted toward a new goal if your present values are not optimal. Same with blood pressure. Same with blood sugar. You can measure and track these in the comfort of your home. It's easy and it's fun and requires a just small investment in the devices or monitors to test yourself. Why do you want to do these simple procedures? Well, they all play a role in predicting your risk of heart disease. They all indirectly shed light on your current metabolic health, which is a major factor in cardiovascular risk. You track this stuff, you make diet and lifestyle improvements, you improve over a period of time and you start winning the battle. You feel better, look better, and worry a heck of a lot less. The previous modules of HEARThrive will have already given you a lot of direction. Go ahead and watch those too if you haven't already done so. And take a close look at the advanced diagnostic tests in this module (Module 6). Talk to your doctor or cardiologist about them. You'll have the ability to speak knowledgeably about getting the tests. Yes, you may have to convince your physician to order the tests but you'll certainly be more confident and assertive in doing so, which should increase the likelihood that your doctor will be receptive and comply. You can do this!
