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Hampton Roads residents sign up to get heart healthy

Posted at 10:49 PM, Mar 02, 2015
and last updated 2015-03-02 22:49:24-05

Almost 200 people signed up through our Taking Action Helpline to find out just how heart healthy they are.

Pat Speelman was one of those people.

“Listening to you on TV talk about your heart attack and I figured it was about time we got checked,” says Speelman who also brought her husband Larry along.

Now Larry and a lot of other people do know what's going on with their bodies because they took action for better heart health.

“At my age, and I'm not getting the exercise that I know I should, I thought I'd better give it a try,” says Maxine Hayward.

Everyone received nutrition education on how what we eat affects the heart.

Bernard Barnes is a heart attack survivor who now spreads the word about healthier living.

“When I saw you [Les Smith] on TV, I said ‘Wait a minute, hold on.’ I said ‘I can't believe this.’ More younger people having heart attacks. He's only 54, what in the world is going on,” says Barnes.

A lot of folks as they get near 45, 50 should really become very aware that soon they're coming up on their age alone being a risk factor for heart disease. But really at any point in your life, leading a healthy lifestyle and being aware of these risk factors is important.