By Jessica Carney, for The Gazette<\/p>\n
Julie Fitzpatrick has always been focused on healthy living. <\/p>\n
She owns Optimal Wellness and is a physical therapist and wellness specialist at Progressive Rehabilitation Associates in Iowa City. Shes been a volunteer for 13 years with the American Heart Association, focused on spreading awareness of womens health issues. <\/p>\n
Im passionate about womens health and wellness, and I believe in what the American Heart Association stands for, she said. <\/p>\n
Four years after she became a volunteer, she was pregnant with her daughter, when at the 20-week ultrasound, doctors discovered a heart defect a transposition of the great arteries, meaning the babys aorta and pulmonary artery were reversed. <\/p>\n
In the first month of daughter Janies life, the baby had two open-heart surgeries, correcting the defect. <\/p>\n
Fifty years ago, Fitzpatrick said, the outcome might not have been as positive. <\/p>\n
It made me even more passionate about the American Heart Association and the research they help fund, she said. Our daughter is living proof that the research helps save lives. <\/p>\n
Today, Janie is a healthy 9-year-old who is active in gymnastics and volleyball. She has a small heart murmur thats monitored by her doctors, but her activity isnt restricted, and her future looks bright. <\/p>\n
We made the decision to trust that shed be well, Fitzpatrick said, explaining she didnt want her daughter thinking her parents were constantly worried about her health. <\/p>\n
ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT<\/p>\n
Fitzpatrick continues to volunteer with the American Heart Association, and she incorporates heart-healthy thinking into both her professional and family life. <\/p>\n
Its important to not only know your numbers, like your cholesterol, fasting glucose and BMI, but to do something about it, she said. <\/p>\n
She encourages her physical therapy patients to eat healthy, hydrate properly and exercise, even if they have physical limitations. If you have a bad knee, for example, getting in the pool can be a good option, Fitzpatrick said. <\/p>\n
Simple changes can have compounded effects if theyre done consistently, she said. <\/p>\n
Its not about doing a 30-day program, she said. Its about making it part of your life.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
See the rest here: <\/p>\n
She long advocated for heart health. Then her baby's life was saved by heart surgery - The Gazette<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Jessica Carney, for The Gazette Julie Fitzpatrick has always been focused on healthy living. She owns Optimal Wellness and is a physical therapist and wellness specialist at Progressive Rehabilitation Associates in Iowa City. Shes been a volunteer for 13 years with the American Heart Association, focused on spreading awareness of womens health issues Continue reading