Interesting?

“Could the worst news about your own health, or a loved ones, actually be the best news you’ve ever heard?” - Keith

One More Hug

“Is it possible to get someone to do something healthier for just a hug? When you ask your spouse, kids, or a friend to do something that will make them healthier, tell them you’ll give them a hug. What may not seem like a big deal today, may mean the world to them tomorrow. What would you give to hug a family member or friend just one more time that has passed away?” - Keith

No Charge, Really! - Keith Ahrens

“A Good Attitude is Free.  No Charge and You Make it For Yourself.  It’s an easy recipe that's definitely Heart Healthy.  It’s the bad attitude that costs us.” - Keith

Keith's Golden Rule

“We all know the golden rule, “Treat others as you wish to be treated”.  I say, “Treat yourself the way you treat other people”.  We often treat our family and friends much better than we treat ourselves. Why? Put yourself at the front of the line when it comes to heart healthy lifestyle changes. You deserve it. I’m a big believer in putting yourself first. The impact it’s had on my life and how many people I’ve been able to help and influence has been immeasurable.” - Keith

American Heart Association Heart Walk - Keith Ahrens

Keith's Heart Walk Page - Click Here:)

The Heart Walk is coming up on October 16th.  Please support me or any one of the members on team "Outrunning My Shadow" at this years AHA Heart Walk.


It's easy to donate and takes just a few minutes.  $5, $10, $20, or whatever you can donate will help saves lives.


Thanks you so much your continued support:)  Heart Healthier days Ahead:) - Keith

Misdiagnosed?

Misdiagnosis?  I’ve heard from several people recently about them being misdiagnosed by their doctor.  I haven’t done much research on this topic. Perhaps this is more common than I thought. I’m a big believer in 2^nd or even 3^rd opinions. I’m not speaking about simply not liking what the doctor says, but actually misdiagnosing a condition that has become a much bigger issue. Thoughts? - Keith

Just a Small Change Makes a Big Difference

“We can create a Heart Healthy Week. Ask yourself, “What behaviors can I change this week?” Make a small commitment and stick to it.

Some ideas: No eating after 6pm and no nibbling while cooking. If your watching TV, move during the 2 minute commercial breaks. Take the stairs at work.  Park the car just a little further away. No finishing the kids’ meals. Drink a little more water. Eat an extra piece of fruit or serving of veggies. Take a look around and identify a few behaviors you can change this week.  Make at least one small commitment of change that will help your heart health. - Keith

A Better Doctors Visit

Keith’s 7 tips for a better Doctor’s visits:

1. Introduce yourself to the doctor, shake hands, and make eye contact when they come in the room. Remember, It’s about YOU.

2. Always have a pen and paper with you.  The doctor will see that you’re paying attention to what they say and know that you are taking notes. Besides it's often hard to remember some of the little things.

3. Before your visit, if possible, write down exactly how you're feeling and what the symptoms are.  Write down any questions you have also.  We tend to forget things when we're sitting in the doctor’s office.  After we leave it's no time to say, "I wish I remembered to tell him/her that".

4. Be as specific as possible.  I found out that there can be a huge difference in what patients are able to communicate with their doctors as they go further up the specialty ladder.

5. If you have time before your visit, search the symptoms you're feeling on the Internet.  Some words you discover might more accurately describe your symptoms.

6. For routine visits I bring my old numbers such as total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, ratios, triglycerides, blood pressure, and pulse.  It allows me to write the new numbers side by side so I can see a snapshot of improvement.

7. Always have written down any medications, exact dosages and frequency for all medications and/or vitamins you may be taking. Share this information with your doctor.  This alone could save your life.


Remember, you're in charge of your own medical team:)  Keith

Putting It In Perspective

On a radio interview from southern Texas, we were discussing Heart Healthy Lifestyle Changes and the host said to me, “You don’t eat fried chicken anymore?”  I told him “not any more”.  He said, “I could never give up my fried chicken.  That would be way too extreme.”  “Extreme”, I said.  “To me, extreme is an eleven-inch scar on my chest.”  To that he responded, “Well, I guess I can cut way back on my fried chicken”. - Keith

Giving Back From The Heart

Please watch the video and learn about someone making a difference.  Get your checkup and screening.  The life you save may be your own.  Thanks Holly for your tireless efforts to save lives and prevent Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
KTLA Heroes at Home: Athlete Dedicates Life to Fighting Sudden Cardiac Arrest -- ktla.com

A Great Day to Share

“Today I delivered the Keynote Speech for the Howard County Public School System education conference.  There were 150 Health and Physical Education teachers in attendance.  The break out sessions were focused on nutrition, obesity prevention and physical fitness and technology.  These great teachers are on the front line of the obesity epidemic and need our support.  The heart health of our children depend on it.  They positively impact the lives of every student they work with.  One teacher told me that my speech could impact as many as 50,000 students. What a feeling:)” - Keith

Slow and Steady = Results

“Most experts agree with me that small shifts and small lifestyle changes lead to long-term success for losing weight and maintaining weight loss as well as improving our physical fitness. The diet industry is a $60 billion industry built on failure.  When is the last time you saw a weight loss product on TV that said you could lose 3 pounds over 3 weeks?” - Keith