Fil-Ams shape up

CARSON, California – No thanks to adobo, lumpia, crispy pata, kare-kare and other deliciously sinful Filipino foods, heart attack and stroke are now the No. 1 and No. 3 killers of Filipino-Americans. The Fil-Ams also have the second highest incidence of cardiovascular-related deaths among Asian Pacific Islanders in the United States.

"The Filipinos are susceptible to heart disease – that is, heart attacks and strokes – and it’s partly because of their diet. The diet is very high in fried foods and saturated fat. Many of them become diabetics and diabetics have a four-fold increased risk of becoming diabetics; so it is high in Filipinos," said Dr. Michael Wong, a long-time volunteer of the American Heart Association (AHA).

In its efforts to raise public awareness and encourage people to know their health risks; raise critical funds for research and proper treatment of high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease and other factors that may lead to heart failure, the AHA held its annual Heart Walk at the Carson Home Depot Center last Sunday. Almost 4,000 people woke up early to participate in the 5K walkathon, including Filipino volunteers.

"We want to tell people to be extra vigilant of their health and also to take part in saving lives by walking and raising funds to support research and education campaigns for the American Heart Association," said Kristine Mosqueda-Kelly, Web and Asian Media director of the AHA. She added that the association is now trying to reach out to ethnic minorities to be more proactive about their health, especially to the Fil-Am community where 31.7 percent of deaths resulted from heart diseases.

Among those helping to campaign about the importance of leading a healthy and active lifestyle is Filipina breast cancer and heart transplant survivor Rosita Barrozo. The 61-year-old recipient of a 30-year-old heart has recently turned into a vegetarian and is now making time for regular exercise and visits to the doctor. On the outside, Barrozo is a picture of good health. She has even managed to participate in and finish the walkathon for four consecutive years now. It’s hard to believe that before then, her doctors almost gave up on her heart condition.

"About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed to have a cardio-myopathy. And my doctor recommended me to UCLA to have a heart transplant. But in 1997, I could not enlist for the heart transplant because, besides my heart condition, I was also a breast cancer survivor. But in 2001, my heart was already deteriorating. I was again recommended to the UCLA Medical Center and at that time, I waited for six months. On Oct. 19, 2001, I became a heart transplant recipient," she said.

Because of her experiences, Barrozo is now actively calling on her kababayans to watch out for their health and know their risks.

"Having a heart condition is very difficult. You couldn’t do anything. My advice to them is to have their hearts checked, to have their cholesterol level checked, to exercise and eat the right food," she said.

According to the American College of Cardiology, heart failure is a growing national problem that causes one million hospital admissions each year. But it’s not hopeless. Guidelines state that early recognition and proper treatment of cardiovascular risk factors can help patients delay the killer disease.

Dr. Wong said it’s high time for Filipinos to start getting regular checkups. It is not much of a practice within the Filipino community to visit their doctors regularly. A lot simply shrug symptoms aside and resort to self-medication, wishing that the disease would simply go away. Aside from that, the lifestyle could also need some health checks.

"Well, one of the first things you have to do is watch your diet. Stay away from the saturated fats, fried foods, cheese. Smokers also need to stop smoking. Exercise several times a week for at least 30-60 minutes, if you can. Lose weight. Weight loss is very important in controlling these risk factors," he advised.