Foothills Times January 2014 Vol 34 May 2014 | Page 52

G ail and Mandy Jeffries have a lot in common. They both work at their family business, Colfax Furniture, with locations in Greensboro, Winston-Salem and in Kernersville. They both share a huge family history of heart disease. And, this mother and daughter both now live their lives with heart health as a top priority. th This was not the way Gail Jeffries had planned to celebrate her 47 birthday. “I remember the emergency room staff singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to me,” recalls Gail. “I ran about five miles a day, worked out and watched what I ate, but I still had a massive heart attack.” Even though she was on a heart healthy path, she had a strong family history of heart disease that was facing her. Three out of four of her sisters suffered from heart disease and she lost her father to a heart attack. “If I could pass along any advice to other women, it would be to take preventative measures and to not ignore your body,” declares Gail. Gail is following her own advice and Mandy, her daughter, is doing it with her. “I was overweight, drinking every night and smoking two packs of cigarettes a day,” shares Mandy Jeffries. “I was going down a very bad path. Instead of the freshman 15 in college, I gained the freshman 30 and then added another 30 lbs. before I graduated.” “My mom is my best friend,” said Mandy. “My mother’s heart attack was a wake-up call for me.” Mandy decided to take her health more seriously and over time she has quit smoking, joined Weight Watchers and started working out at a gym. “Now, I am smoke-free, have lost 60 lbs. and have kept it off,” Mandy says with a smile. “Together, we take pride in each other as being strong, professional women who have a choice to live healthy, and we choose to take every precaution to ensure we don’t have more run-ins with heart disease,” says Gail. “We also strive to maintain a stress free lifestyle and not take everything so seriously.” by Sarah Fedele, American Heart Association/ Mid-Atlantic Affiliate ANTS • SPIDERS • ROACHES SERVING “Th • Danbury• Dobson • Eastbend • Elkin • Kernersville • Lewisville • King • Mt.Airy • Pinnacle • Rural Hall • Walkertown • Walnut Cove • Winston Salem free estimates Lov enia eB New som e/O ug L Help Is a Call Away! wne r/Op erat ady 336.407.4529 CAN’T FIND A PAPER COPY? READ US ONLINE AT:www.foothillstimes.com www.foothillstimes.com 52 or !”