When I connect with Michelle, Jannae and Scherri, three of my dear, close friends, it’s a recipe for a healthy heart — connecting with them helps me avoid heart disease and stay healthy.

Why are my friends so great? We talk, we laugh, we shop, we eat (far too many desserts to even mention!) and we simply connect and are there for each other  through thick and thin  — parents dying, jobs lost, romantic heartbreak and wedding bliss (that’s the three of them at my wedding in June). Having close friends, in fact, is the key to women sustaining optimal heart health.

I know you probably know that heart disease is the number one killer of women, yet it’s highly preventable. In fact, research shows that when women have at least four close friends, they dramatically decrease the chances of dying from heart disease. And I’ll point out that it doesn’t have to be about connecting with your friends all the time. Think social networking, email and phone as simple options to get or stay connected. In the end, it’s really about the authenticity of our friendships, not the volume.

What about you, do you have at least four close friends? How do they help you stay heart healthy? The girls and I are already talking about how one day we just might all get a house together if our spouses aren’t around – you know, a modern, hip version of the Golden Girls.  It sure sounds like a great idea to me and knowing how much fun we have together, how could it not help us stay heart healthy?

Want to know more about the latest research on women and the power of connecting to help prevent heart disease? Join me for a fr*e*e teleclass, “Building Community: A Key to Optimal Heart Health” on Monday, November 10 from 8-9pm ET.

Register and join us for this awesome call designed to help you get connected and protect you heart! http://tinyurl.com/6edu3r

Filed under: Family and Friends, Heart Health, Relationships, Women's Health