Fitness briefs for Feb. 5

Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and share knowledge they've gained. The group also seeks to improve communications between cancer patients/survivors and health care workers.

The group meets from 10 to 11:30 a.m. on the second Saturday of each month. The next meeting is on Saturday.

Although ThyCa is not affiliated with any hospital or medical group, Integris Baptist Medical Center allows the group to meet in its Bennett Meeting Room on the concourse level of the hospital, 3300 Northwest Expressway.

For more information about the local support group, call Carolyn Hyden at 721-4426 or email okcityok@thyca.org.

For more information about ThyCa and its other free services, call (877) 588-7904 or go to www.thyca.org.

About 12,600 Oklahomans died from heart disease in 2012.

“Heart disease continues to be a major issue — for both men and women — with Oklahoma ranking 48th in the country,” said Dr. Glenn Lytle, medical director of the Oklahoma Foundation for Medical Quality, in a news release.

Lytle is asking Oklahomans to support the nationwide Million Hearts campaign, which seeks to prevent a million heart attacks and strokes.

“People can lower their risk,” Lytle said in the release, “and Million Hearts can help people make heart healthy choices and take the right steps if they need treatment.”

The foundation offers these tips for preventing heart disease:

Talk to your doctor so you understand your risks and, if necessary, treatment options.

Get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

Ask your doctor if you should take an aspirin every day.

Find out if you have high blood pressure or cholesterol; if you do, get treatment.

Stop smoking. Seek help if you can't do it on your own.

Eat fresh fruits and vegetables while avoiding sodium and trans fat.

Medicare covers certain screenings and doctor visits for preventive heart care, the release notes. For details, go to www.medicare.gov. Click on the links marked “What Medicare Covers” and “Preventive Services.”

Want to join the Million Hearts movement? Take the pledge at www.millionhearts.hhs.gov.

Compiled by Ken Raymond, Staff Writer