Eagle Rock Volunteer Rescue Squad

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Online Health Checkup
CPR/AED Program	Health Days Program

Your Health

Your rescue squad wants you to stay healthy, and not end up in the back of an ambulance. This section of the website explores ways YOU can keep yourself healthy.

Leading Causes of Death

Do you know what disease is the No. 1 killer of people in America? Many think it's cancer, but the leading cause of death for both men and women is heart attacks. Cancer is the No.2 killer and Strokes are No. 3. Heart attacks and strokes are related and account for over 40% of all deaths, nearly twice the number of deaths caused by cancer. All together, heart attacks, cancer and strokes account for about 62% of all deaths each year. Compare that to motor vehicle accidents which account for less than 2%. So let's examine what YOU can do to reduce your risk of dying from these diseases. (Here's a detailed breakdown of year 2002 deaths by cause for various age groupings.)

What can YOU do to stop these top 3 killers?

First, learn the Warnings Signs of Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Now! - Your quick response can save your life or the life of another.

Second, learn how to give CPR and how to use an AED by attending your squad's AED and CPR Community Outreach Program.

Third, learn everything you can do to prevent a heart attack, cancer or a stroke. Do the free online health checks now and attend your squad's community outreach programs. Carefully study the information contained on the websites shown on the right. Here's a quick summary of what YOU can do.

How to prevent having a heart attack or stroke

Heart attacks and strokes are related. They're primarily caused by the buildup of "plaque" inside your arteries. Plaque is caused by high amounts of Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL or "bad") cholesterol, a waxy substance in your blood. LDL cholesterol gets deposited on the inside walls of your arteries. These deposits harden and form plaque. Plaque can build to the point where it restricts the flow of blood. If plaque builds up to the point where blood flow through an artery is blocked, you can be in serious trouble. Plaque buildup in your coronary (heart) arteries can lead to heart attacks. Plaque build up in your carotid (neck) arteries can lead to a stroke. Assess your risks for heart disease and your risk for strokes online NOW! (Learn more about cholesterol, LDL and HDL -what's bad what's good?) Check yours at home.

Here's a list of Coronary Heart Disease risk factors you can modify, treat or control by changing your lifestyle or taking medicine:

Tobacco smoke — Smokers' risk of developing coronary heart disease is 2–4 times that of nonsmokers.
High blood cholesterol — As blood cholesterol rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease.
High blood pressure — High blood pressure increases the heart's workload, causing the heart to thicken and become stiffer.
Physical inactivity — An inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
Obesity and overweight — People who have excess body fat — especially if a lot of it is at the waist — are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors.
Diabetes mellitus — Diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Even when glucose (blood sugar) levels are under control, diabetes increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. Assess your risks for diabetes online NOW!

Here's a list of Stroke risk factors you can modify, treat or control by changing your lifestyle or taking medicine:

High blood pressure — High blood pressure is the most important controllable risk factor for stroke.
Cigarette smoking — In recent years, studies have shown cigarette smoking to be an important risk factor for stroke.
Diabetes mellitus — Diabetes is an independent risk factor for stroke. Assess your risks for diabetes online NOW!
Carotid or other artery disease — The carotid arteries in your neck supply blood to your brain.
High blood cholesterol — People with high blood cholesterol have an increased risk for stroke.
Poor diet — Diets high in saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Physical inactivity and obesity — Being inactive, obese or both can increase your risk of high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.

How to prevent cancer

In a landmark 1997 report, scientists estimated that 30% to 40% of cancers are directly linked to our diets and related factors, such as maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active. They also found that 30% of cancers could be prevented by not smoking. Just a few simple changes can help reduce cancer risk for you and your family. Assess your risks for various types of cancer online NOW! Here's a list of Cancer Disease risk factors you can modify, treat or control by changing your lifestyle:

Poor Diet — The foods you choose each day are one of the most important factors in protecting you against cancer. Most Americans eat a diet that is far too high in fat and calories. Even more important is what the average U.S. diet lacks: a variety of vegetables, fruits, beans and other plant-based foods.
Physical inactivity and obesity — Maintaining a healthy weight and staying physically active have been shown to be important in helping your body protect itself against cancer. There's nothing magic or difficult about these types of lifestyle choices. Eat right, stay active and watch your weight put them all together and they add up to a formula that can cut cancer risk by 30 to 40%.
Cigarette smoking — Smoking or using tobacco in any form, is one of the worst choices you can make from a health perspective. Not only does the use of tobacco greatly increase risk for lung cancer, but it also appears to influence some other forms of cancer, and significantly increases your risk for cardiovascular disease and strokes.

A free online health checkup with information on inexpensive follow-up lab and home tests you can do.