This post is sponsored by Invitae and SHE Media.

February was American Heart Month - a time to not only raise awareness about heart health but also urge those around us to prevent heart disease. Did you know that the heart is the hardest working and most important muscle in the body? It’s pretty important! I’m sure you’ve heard of “heart-healthy diets” and the importance of eating well for your heart health, but did you realize that some of us are predisposed to certain heart conditions? Heart health isn’t always just impacted by lifestyle. Your genes might play a role too - a million people have hereditary high cholesterol and, some forms of heart disease are passed on to us but many people are not aware of these possibilities. Arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and high blood cholesterol are just a few of the cardiac conditions that can be hereditary. This means that there are certain precautions that are more important for some of us to take than others. The good news is, genetic screenings can give us a leg up in taking better care and control of our health!

Invitae is a leading medical genetics company whose mission is to bring comprehensive genetic information into mainstream medicine to improve healthcare for billions of people. Clinicians have relied on Invitae for over 1 million tests. Now, the same tests that have been available to doctors are available to us by initiating your personal screening on their website! You also get support from trained clinicians to help interpret the results, so you get actionable health information you can act on. Through reliable and clinically-actionable genetic testing, Invitae is changing the future of healthcare and creating a world where genetic information is accessible and affordable for everyone. How cool is that? Most of the genetic testing options on the market are more focused on deciphering your ancestry. What makes Invitae unique is that their screenings only look at health information solely for the purpose of helping you make better health decisions based on your unique genetic make-up. Invitae successfully does this by using the same medical-grade tests that are trusted by doctors and genetic counselors around the world.

I attended #BlogHer20 Health in Los Angeles where Invitae hosted a panel of amazing women including Dr. Taz Bhatia, Jenna Finley, Rachel Rhee and moderated by Reshma Gopaldas to discuss how to become your best self-advocate and navigating your health. They covered the gamut of medical questions, concerns, health symptoms we ignore, and the recommended medical screenings we should all be getting and at what age. One of the overall themes shared by all of the panelists was the sentiment that many women are: not heard by their medical care professionals, unsure about how to best advocate for themselves and unclear about ways that they can take more control over their health and bodies. Dr. Bhatia shared that we should get in the practice of interviewing our doctors to make sure they have the same philosophies that we do, someone who we can resonate with, and someone who listens to us. “We are understanding more and more about healing in the medical experience is that it’s a lot more about relationship than we even gave credit to before,” says Dr. Bhatia.

One thing that we are all familiar with is the sometimes unpredictable and, at times, unhealthy cost of medical care. Rachel Rhee suggested that we “look at your health insurance and what works within network, within our coverage and within our plan. The last thing that we need when we are going through some sort of medical condition or health scare is to be worried about the financial burden because something isn’t covered by our insurance.”

Jenna Finley spoke to the power of genetic testing when she shared that she didn’t have a family history of cancer but, with genetic testing, she discovered that she had a genetic mutation that the National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends get mammograms earlier than those without the genetic mutation.

Prior to the panel, we heard from Invitae’s Mansi Pathak who shared what many may not have known: “we all know heart disease as something we can take control of by eating healthy and exercising regularly, but actually many heart conditions are controlled by your genes and not your lifestyle. So, you could be eating all the kale in the world paired together with the SoulCycle class every day, but there might be more personalized steps that you need to be taking for yourself like seeing a cardiologist or start taking certain medications earlier. That’s what we want to do with genetic screening, give you access to that information.” At their on-site booth, the theme was “Who Holds Your Heart” encouraging booth visitors to share who inspires them to be “heart-healthy”. Invitae also offered One Hope Wine, who has helped to educate 121,180 people to date on their risks and symptoms of heart disease. Every bottle of their Vitner Merlot helps to support Heart Health through their generous charitable donations.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the U.S. Heritable cardio conditions are not rare, but they are underdiagnosed. And, 20% of early heart attacks are caused by hereditary high cholesterol. Take action – not only for you but also for those who hold your heart. An Invitae Cardio Screen looks at 77 genes to help determine your risk of developing an inherited form of cardiovascular disease. Having a cardio health screen determines your cardio health risks, which can serve as the basis for any holistic wellness plan by giving you the information you need to prevent or treat disease. The test includes access to genetic counseling services to help answer any questions and help understand your results. I decided to put my heart to the test!

I initiated my Invitae cardio screening online and was prompted to answer some background questions. I then received an email stating that my testing was reviewed and approved by a clinician and would be shipped out! Once I received my saliva sample kit in the mail, the actual screening process probably didn’t take more than ten-minutes total! All I had to do was provide a small saliva sample, close it up and put it back in the provided box with prepaid postage. Before I closed it up and shipped it off, I simply registered my kit online to let Invitae know that it was heading their way. It was quick, easy and painless, but the peace of mind knowing that you’re being proactive about your heart health? Priceless!

What are you doing to be proactive about your heart health? Who “holds your heart” by inspiring you to be more heart-healthy?