Febuary Heart Health Month – Quaker Oats Help Prevent Heart Disease

Did you know that February is Heart Health Month?  It’s time to put on some red and support a healthy heart.

Heart disease can be scary. My Nephew, Corbin has had three major heart surgeries. He was born with Hypo-plastic Left Heart Syndrome. How scary, my brother and sister n law were supposed to be heading home in only a few hours. My brother was getting their things together, when the nurse came in letting them know
Corbin’s heart was beating way to fast. They thought it was a small infection but wanted to be certain.

Within a few hours Corbin was airlifted to a children’s hospital in Lubbock. They were only there for a few hours, a few tests before they were airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston Texas. This is where my brother and sister n law would spend the next 6 months of their lives.

Corbin underwent his first heart surgery around 6 days old, second surgery at 6 months, and third at 3 years of age. I cannot imagine being in that spot, my heart goes out to anyone in this situation. So many of us are blessed with a happy healthy baby, never to stop and think about those who are not.

This all happened before I had a child of my own, yet I remember staying up late reading emails from my brother and looking at pictures of poor baby Corbin hooked up to more wires than I knew could be hooked on to a baby. Tears would roll down my face, not just for Corbin but his mommy and daddy. Thinking about it from mom and dad’s shoes. It still brings tears to my eyes, the thought of not knowing what’s going to happen to the one thing in the world your supposed to protect, love, hug, and kiss for the rest of their life. Being so excited to bring your baby home, and that in a split second being replaced with the worst fear one could feel.

WOW, I know there’s so many parents who have had to deal with this in one way or another and my heart goes out to you. If there’s ever anything my little old self could do to help, I would be there. I’m not trying to start things off on a sad note, or scare anyone this is something that people deal with. It’s something that has made me think twice about my entire family’s health. It’s made me think about what I put in my children’s body when it comes to breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.

Corbin will be five years old in about six months and is doing wonderful.  If you were to just look at him you would never know there was anything wrong with his heart.  If there’s anything I can do to help prevent heart disease for my family and myself you know I’m going to do it.  Especially when it’s something as easy as enjoying Quaker Oats for breakfast.  I typically don’t buy anything other than Quaker Oats for breakfast.  My children would rather have it than cereal any day of the week.  Which makes things easy, and less costly.

Are you wondering why I’m telling all of you about our little miracle baby, Corbin? I’m sharing a little about Corbin’s story because February is Heart Health Month. Corbin has helped everyone around him have a better understanding of the heart, how it works, and what you can do to help take better care of it.

I grew up eating Quaker Oatmeal. It’s not a secret I love my oatmeal, and my children eat it as well. While we’re enjoying our breakfast, it’s nice to know that we are eating healthy, and helping to prevent heart disease. It’s good to know that there’s something out there that taste great, and does something positive for our hearts.

Quaker has been around since 1901, so it’s a brand that we all know and trust. Helping prevent heart disease is something Quaker is committed to. Which is why you’ll find Quaker promoting American Heart Month too! They are teaming up with Fabio Viviani to help inspire us to take action for our hearts. Quakers Epic Hot Breakfast video is awesome. They want to help encourage women to make those small steps, such as eating healthy, to help us care for our hearts. Take a second and check out this video, I think you’ll really like it. There’s a dash of funny, and heart-throb Fabio Viviani in it.

Did you know according to the American Heart Association that stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death in women in the United States.  Which is another reason taking steps such as incorporating hear healthy food such as Quaker Oats is important to me.  It’s better to take steps that help prevent it, than to try to fix it later.

If you watched the video you know, “Nothing is more important than healthy BIG heart filled with love and filled by Quaker Oats.”  You can always head to Quaker’s YouTube Channel to check out the video again.

Quaker is having the Epic Hot Breakfast Sweepstakes too.  You can enter, it super easy and only takes a few moments and since you already have step number one done you should finish.  Watching the video is your first step is to share the video on Twitter using the hashtag #QuakerLove from February 14^th until February 28^th.

The grand prize winner will receive a chance to get away with a guest for a few days.  How exciting is that.  Winner will enjoy being pampered with a spa treatment, and dining at Siena Tavern in Chicago.   There will be 15 participants chosen who will win a fabulous Ultimate Hot Breakfast Prize Pack.  The prize pack will include Quaker Oats, signed items from the heart-throb Fabio Viviani, and more awesome stuff to help you start your day out right.  Quaker’s Epic Hot Breakfast Sweepstakes will officially close on February 28, 2012 at 11:59pm CT.

Be sure and join me at the Quaker Heart Healthy Twitter Party on Tuesday 2/19/13 from 8-9 pm EST. You can find us using hastag #QuakerHearts, but as that your RSVP HERE so we know you’ll be coming.  Don’t forget to keep up with Quaker on their Website, follow them on Facebook, check out tweets on Twitter, give them a plus one Google+, and subscribe to their YouTube Channel.

What are you doing to support Heart Health Month?  Remember spreading the word and helping others become more knowledgeable is an awesome way to support and prevent.  Quaker also helps make breakfast heart healthy and super yummy.

This post is sponsored by Quaker.  The opinions are completely my own based on my own experience.

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