Be Heart Smart During the Hunt

Hunters encouraged to follow some health safety tips

November 21, 2013
By: Stacy Sawyer

      (Flint, MI) -- Michigan has kicked off the annual migration of orange to the woods as firearm deer season begins. As the season kicks off, the American Heart Association encourages hunters to be heart smart. If last year's hunting season was the last time you've exercised, you may be putting yourself at risk of a heart attack.

      An American Heart Association study compared the heart's workload of an individual deer hunting to that of the same individual exercising on a treadmill and discovered that deer hunting places the heart under more strain. Therefore, hunters need to be heart smart and follow some tips before heading out to the woods:

Eat a light breakfast - avoid the high calorie, high fat foods

Hunt with a friend; don't hunt alone

Bring a cell phone to reach emergency services if needed

Tell friends or family your location and scheduled return

Make sensible plans for moving that trophy buck - get help from friends and family members

      Because heavy lifting, hiking and the overall physical activity of hunting can put a strain on any hunter's heart, the American Heart Association encourages hunters to know the warning signs of a heart attack:

an uncomfortable pressure, fullness, squeezing,

pain in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back again.

pain that spreads to the shoulders, neck and arms and is often accompanied by lightheadedness, sweating, nausea and shortness of breath.

Stroke signs include:

a sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg,

sudden dizziness and loss of coordination

slurred speech

severe headache

      Both heart attack and stroke are medical emergencies and 911 needs to be accessed immediately. Remember part of your hunter safety includes being heart smart. For more information on cardiovascular disease visit www.heart.org