BOULDER — February is American Heart Month, and the American Red Cross is holding blood drives throughout Montana and the country. MTN traveled to Boulder to visit a donation center and spoke with a Helena-based healthcare professional about ways to stay heart-healthy.
Kassie Nordlinder was among the thirty donors who signed up for the American Red Cross blood drive at St. Catherine's Catholic Center in Boulder. For her, giving blood began at a young age.
“I see the value in it, and I like to put myself in the shoes of somebody that might need a transfusion and hope that it would always be available if I needed it. I know how important it is for emergency purposes, hospital use, and stuff like that, so I've been doing it since I was in high school,” said Nordlinder.
Debbie Gabse, another donor, told MTN about the importance of having a diverse pool of blood donors.
"When people need blood, they’ve had some trauma that has happened in their life," said Gabse. "So it's not just like giving somebody a birthday card; It's an act you do to help somebody at a really important, tragic time in their life. Blood has all those different types, and you can't just give willy-nilly to whoever. So, the more people that give, the better the pool is, the more different types there are, and the more people in need we can help”.
MTN also sat down with Sara Klinger, a heart health professional with St. Peters Health in Helena, to learn more about the steps you can take to keep your heart working hard.
“To stay heart healthy, I would say the first thing is to stop smoking. If you do smoke, limit your alcohol. For women, that's no more than one a day. For men, that's two per day," explained Klinger. "Stay active. It's easy to do in this beautiful community, maybe not as much right now when it's cold, but trying to stay active, our recommendation from the Heart Society would be 30 minutes, five times per week, so 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, and then eat healthy.”
According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, approximately one thousand Montana residents under 80 years of age pass away annually due to heart disease. Klinger says the best way to protect yourself is by knowing your risk factors and getting seen regularly.
“Hopefully, people think about heart disease day to day, and it might make it more important for them to focus on those healthy lifestyles if they know that that risk is still very real, and it can be tough sometimes because heart disease is somewhat silent. High blood pressure, even blockages, can sometimes be silent. And so, it's not always something people think about daily because it's not something they feel. But recognizing that the risk is still there is important”.
The Red Cross emphasized the importance of adequately eating and hydrating before and after your blood donation.
Another Red Cross blood donation event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 7, from 10 am to 2:30 pm at the Helena Indian Alliance.
