Episode 75: Being Fit on the Inside: A Conversation with Heart Health Heroes, Karin Bertozzi and Jeanmarie Gallagher

Heart disease is the number 1 killer of Americans, taking more than 600,000 lives each year. In honor of Heart Month and Wear Red Day, we are excited to bring on two incredible guests. First, we are excited to share Karin Bertozzi's journey with our listeners. In 2014, Karin, an extremely fit yoga instructor and multisport athlete fainted in a supermarket and then woke up after a 12-hour open heart surgery. She shares her journey from suffering a near fatal cardiac event to recovering and becoming a cardiac yoga instructor for cardiac patients and volunteering for Mended Hearts, an organization that pairs cardiac survivors with cardiac patients to help ease fear and anxiety. Second, we welcomed one of the individuals who was instrumental in Karin's recovery, Jeanmarie Gallagher. Jeanmarie runs the cardiac rehabilitation clinic at Suburban Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. In addition to being a clinical exercise physiologist, she is a former collegiate runner who ran track and field for Virginia Tech. Both women are inspiring and share their expertise and experience on handling setbacks and improving our own (or our loved ones') cardiac health. In honor of Heart Month, do yourself and/or your loved ones a favor. Make an appointment for your physical and remind your loved ones to do the same. In the words of past podcast guest and Boston Marathon Race Director, Dave McGillivray, you can't always outrun your heart health. Thanks to our editor, Erin Bryant, and our sponsor, OOFOS. Also, thank you to all of you for listening. Please screenshot and share our podcast and tag us on social media to help others find us!