Keith Ahrens

I was selected to by the American Heart Association to attend the You’re the Cure on the Hill Lobby Days in Washington D.C. next week.

The event will include more than 350 Advocates, Medical Researchers, Doctors, and Survivors.

I was asked to represent the AHA and attend as a Survivor, National Advocate, and Heart Hero.

We’ll be on Capitol Hill to share our stories with our Senators and Congressmen and ask our legislators’ to support the important legislation that would help prevent heart disease and stroke.

We’re asking for support and passage of the FIT Kids Act and Safe Routes to School legislation, which would help prevent childhood obesity by promoting quality physical education and safe walking and bicycling paths to schools– and asking for vital funding for medical research that can lead to improvements in the prevention and treatment of heart disease and stroke.

I’ve included some items we’ll be “Asking” for lobbying for with bullet points below from the AHA for our Lobby Day and the Facts to back them up.

ASK: Please appropriate $35 billion for the NIH in 2012 to support research that (1) improves health, (2) spurs economic growth and innovation, (3) creates jobs, and (4) advances science to help find better ways to prevent and event cure heart disease and stroke.

Fact: NIH invests a mere 4{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of its budget on heart research and 1{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} on stroke research even though heart disease, stroke and other forms of cardiovascular disease remain the No. 1 and most costly killer of Americans. These funding levels are not commensurate with scientific opportunities, the numbers afflicted, and the economic toll this disease exact on our Nation.

Fact: A large portion of NIH research is focused on reducing heart disease and stroke risk factors, including high blood pressure and cholesterol, tobacco use, and physical activity.

Fact: NIH funds research in every state and in 90{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of congressional districts. The typical NIH grant supports about 7 mainly high-tech full-time or part-time jobs. In one year, every dollar that NIH distributes in a grant returns more than $2 in goods and services to the local community.

REMEMBER: Research remains our best hope to prevent and even cure heart disease and stroke.

ASK: Please co-sponsor the FIT Kids Act.

Fact: Childhood obesity in the United States is an epidemic. About 1 out of every 6 children and adolescents ages two to 19 are considered obese. As these obese children grow into adulthood, they have a much greater risk of developing and dying from heart disease. Their poor health also pushes up medical costs and lowers our military preparedness.

Fact: Only 3.8{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of elementary, 7.9{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of middle, and 2.1{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of high schools provide daily physical education or its equivalent for the entire school year. Twenty-two percent of schools do not require students to take any physical education at all.

Fact: National guidelines recommend that children engage in at least 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week – and 30 minutes should be during the school day.

REMEMBER: Schools need to be a part of the solution to the childhood obesity epidemic and this includes telling parents what is provided in the way of physical education during the school day.

ASK: Please support the Safe Routes to Schools program at current funding levels ($183 million/year) in the next Transportation bill.

Fact: Just 13{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} of children walk or bike to school today, down from nearly 50{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7} in 1969. A California study showed that schools that received infrastructure improvements through the Safe Routes to School program increased walking and bicycling by20 to 200{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7}.

Fact: Walking one mile to and from school each day is two-thirds of the recommended sixty minutes of physical activity a day. Children who walk to school have higher levels of physical activity throughout the day.

REMEMBER: More than 10,000 schools and communities across all 50 states have benefited from Safe Routes to Schools, which has helped build sidewalks, pathways, and safe street crossings. The program creates opportunities for daily physical activity and improved health for kids and for other members of the community.

It was 4 years ago, the first week of April 2007, that I had a heart attack.

I met with my primary care doctor today for a routine exam and we chatted about the first time he ever saw me.  I was well over 400 pounds at the time.  I looked 15 years older and I was physically and mentally a complete mess. He commented that it seemed like a lifetime had flashed before his eyes with my on-going transformation.

It was a wonderful visit and the great lab results always make for a pleasant doctors visit.

To be honest, the events of April 2007 seem like a distant blur at times and at others bring me to my knees with how fortunate I was not to have died like so many others.

Any survivor of any chronic disease or catastrophe has probably asked themselves, “Why Me?” I know I certainly have and when I answer this question now I say, “Why Not Me?”

From the time I got out of college in 1985 until a couple years ago I had written a very impressive career resume from running multi-state retail divisions, instructing commercial sales training, teaching aerospace engineering, to work as a finance director.

In the last year and a half I’ve completely rewritten an already jammed resume.  My bio in the last year and a half looks like it took 30 years to create.  I’m as happy and healthy as I’ve ever been and doing exactly what I want to do. The people I meet each day inspire me to do things I’ve known I could do.

I love my life and everyone in it.

I guess my thought is that when you stand at the base of a mountain, the view is completely different from the top.  I hope to reach the top one-day but I’m having a great time in the peaks and valleys.

Climb the mountain before you one step at a time and the rewards for a healthier life will get stronger and better with each step. – Keith

Hands can do incredible things, even save a life. Learn how to use Hands-Only CPR and be ready in an emergency, visit www.handsonlycpr.org

Check out my hand symphony. It’s easy- choose different hand sounds to create a track. Then be sure to learn how to use Hands-Only CPR. Hand Symphonies are super fun, but saving a life is even better.

Have you ever seen someone hopscotch on their hands? Not easy. Check out this video for the Hands-Only CPR campaign:
Remember, two steps to help save a life: 1) call 911. 2) push hard and fast in the center of the chest.

I’ll be addressing the Nevada Senate and giving testimony in support of SB386.

Many of you know that I’m a very strong anti-smoking advocate.  I hate tobacco products.  I especially hate cigarettes and other non-smokeless products.

On April 5th the Legislature will hold hearings on two separate tobacco tax bills, one in each house.  These bills would increase taxes on tobacco products to a point that will reduce consumption, especially among youth, and raise millions of dollars to help prevent cuts to important health services and education.

My Letter to the Assembly and Senators:

As an American Heart Association and American Stroke Association National Advocate & Volunteer, I am writing to urge your support of a tobacco tax increase in Nevada.

Tobacco is the number one preventable cause of death in the United States and the leading controllable risk factor for heart disease and stroke.

A tax increase on tobacco products will reduce consumption, especially among youth, and raise millions of dollars to help prevent cuts to important health services and education.

In recent polling nearly three-fourths of Nevada voters (73{1ee8873d3da54571ef77633feec9b2f18618b0dba2f28faf42edb28003d1c6f7}) favored an increase in the state tobacco tax as a way to help balance the state budget, outpacing support for increasing the state’s casino tax, mining tax or sales tax.

Every single state that has raised its cigarette tax rate has subsequently received more tax revenue than they would have received without a rate increase, despite the fact that cigarette tax increases reduce state smoking levels.

Put simply, the increased tax per pack brings in more new state revenue than is lost from the related reductions in the number of packs sold and taxed in the state. Moreover, the substantially higher revenue levels enjoyed by those states that significantly increase their cigarette tax rates persist over time (while the cost savings from the related smoking declines grow rapidly).

Please support a tobacco tax increase in Nevada; it is both smart fiscal and health policy.

Heart Healthy Wishes, Keith Ahrens, CFT, SFN

cc: Assembly Taxation Committee, Senate Revenue Committee

Today was a blast… of Water.

The Jump For Joy Foundation had another camp today.  I love these camps.

Fighting the rising Childhood Obesity Epidemic by getting kids physically active is “Camp Jumps” primary mission.  Arming the parents with the knowledge they need to help their children eat healthier and stay active is another mission.

Bill gave another outstanding nutrition class to the parents.  Anthony and Branden worked tirelessly to keep the kids moving.  The many volunteers tried to keep up with the kids and always had a smile on their face.

Today’s theme: Firefighters Boot Camp.

Firefighters from The Clark County Fire Department came to the camp today in full gear.  They used fire hoses, relays, and fitness drills to get all the kids involved in fitness.   To have these Hero’s come and work with the kids was Amazing and Inspiring.

The firefighters explained the importance of staying fit and eating healthier foods to stay in shape with the kids.

The highlight came at the end of camp when everyone went outside and saw a Paramedic Ambulance, a Huge Fire Truck and an even Bigger Ladder Truck.
The firemen repositioned the Ladder truck, raised the ladder, had a very brave firefighter scale 6 stories in the air and turn on the fire hose cannon.  At 800 gallons per minute this site was awesome.

They also let the kids grab hold and discharge a fire hose and spray the parking lot.

All I could say was “WOW”.

The Jump For Joy Foundation is doing excellent work.

Visit their website and learn more.  Click Here “JumpForJoyFoundation.org”

Have a Heart Healthy Day and Keep Moving America. – Keith

On Friday, April 1, I was invited to tour the Children’s Heart Center of Nevada.

This place was pretty incredible to say the least. The Children’s Heart Center is Nevada’s largest pediatric cardiology practice. The surgeons and cardiologists of this practice have outstanding reputations.

To say this was a compassionate and outstanding medical practice that gave back to the community far more than they received would be an understatement.

I knew this was a special place when I entered the waiting room where patients sign in to see the doctor. There were 3 cubicles with a receptionist behind each counter.  Every child patient and parent was greeted with a warm smile.  Each time the nurse came out to call on a patient, they smiled when calling the persons name. I’ve spoken and written a lot about customer service in a medical environment and ways medical staff can make a patient feel better.  This experience was at the top of my list for good examples.

Steve Eisen, the Chief Executive Officer showed me the practice with a personal tour and we focused on the work the Heart Center is doing for at-risk obese children.  They have a continuing 12-week program that children up to 18 can enroll in and learn and participate in healthy lifestyle choices and fitness programs.

When the children enter the program they meet with a Registered Dietician, an Exercise Physiologist, and a Clinical Psychologist. The center keeps the parents involved as well. This type of intervention cannot only save lives but help children live their lives.

In the Heart Disease and Cardiovascular area, children without the ability to pay are taken care of by the practice.  Their policy is to never turn away a child that needs cardiac care because of financial issues, thus A Childs Heart is Never Left Behind.

They work closely with the Children’s Heart Foundation  of Nevada as well.

I was able to spend time with their lead Exercise Physiologist, Lorie.  She’s an exercise program and cardiac rehabilitation specialist for children. The passion and enthusiasm for what she does was so evident.

What a great way to have spent an afternoon.  I learned so much.

My Heartfelt Thanks go out to the entire friendly staff of The Children’s Heart Center.

The Children’s Heart Center in Nevada is a very, very special place. – Keith

National Start Walking Day is Wednesday, April 6 and always the first Wednesday in April.

The time is now to get moving.  I couldn’t think of a better place to start than with a nice walk.

Will you walk?

Can you get your office motivated to take a walk during lunch?

What about a planned walk with your family or loved one after dinner?

Perhaps someone you know could use a nice walk.  Tell them about the day and walk with them.

The American Heart Association has all the tools on their site for someone to just start walking.

Make it a celebration of fitness.

Make it a day of Heart Health.

CLICK HERE &Visit StartWalkingNow.org to get more information.

Have a Heart Healthy Day, Keith

The 2011 County Health Study was just published in cooperation with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute.

It’s certainly very interesting and relatively easy to disseminate the information.

The studies were broken down into 3 major categories; Programs and Policies, Health Factors, and Health Outcomes.

I encourage you to visit the website CountyHealthRankings.org and learn more about your community and county. Snoop around.

The source of the information is excellent.

CLICK HERE TO GO TO CountyHealthRankings.org

Have an incredibly Heart Healthy Week, Keith

In the past 1-½ years I’ve been able to volunteer a lot.  I’ve worked with several fantastic organizations and each and every project enriched my life.

Volunteering is not only a good thing to do for the people who benefit from your involvement but for you as well.

Volunteering has made me healthier and empowered me in so many ways. I relax when I give back.  Although some of the projects have been quite challenging and seemingly chaotic at times, I can’t relate any of the activities to a higher stress level but exactly the opposite.

I believe that a persons stress level goes way down when they volunteer.

The great thing about being a volunteer is that you get to pick your projects and causes. Lowering your stress level reduces your blood pressure and certainly helps the heart.

Pick a project, a group, a charity or something close to your heart and give back.  It will be the greatest gift you’ve ever given yourself. – Keith