February is heart month and there are many articles on heart myths, heart facts, and heart health. The fact I found interesting is this one:
FACT: A Broken Heart is a Legitimate Medical Condition
Broken heart syndrome (or Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy) is a legitimate medical condition that was discovered by Japanese doctors in the early part of the 1990s. Today, cardiologists recognize broken heart syndrome on a global scale.
Cardiologists refer to this cardiac syndrome as “takotsubo,” which describes the ballooning (or bulging) of the heart in Japanese. The syndrome is brought on by severe physical or emotional stress (i.e., death of a loved one, partner abuse, or extreme debt) that triggers the discharge of stress hormones, obstructs blood flow, and mimics a heart attack.
Take the assessment questionnaire "here" to find out about your heart health from the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Our picture today is a wonderful symbol for heart health. This is a roadside stand on Highway 8 that has seen better days.
Frugality has a great history in the United States. Both Benjamin Franklin and Ralph Waldo Emerson extolled and promoted the 'simple life.'
Quotes from Benjamin Franklin:
1. “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
2. “An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest.”
3. “Having been poor is no shame, being ashamed of it is.”
4. “He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.”
5. “Rather go to bed without dinner than to rise in debt.”
- Benjamin Franklin
Today's pictures are the sort of 'castle ruin' we have in Ontario - a barn silo standing alone in an abandoned field. This one is up on the escarpment.
