You\u2019d never know Tasha Benjamin had a heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, Tasha herself didn\u2019t know it until her doctor told her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c[My doctor said], \u2018Yeah, I need to refer you [to a cardiologist],\u2019\u201d Tasha recalled. \u201cI’m like, \u2018Okay, why?\u2019 And she’s like, \u2018Well, you’ve had a heart attack. Have you had a heart attack?\u2019 And I chuckled, \u2018No, I think I would remember.\u2019 But it was right there on the EKG.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasha experienced what\u2019s known as a silent heart attack: a coronary event without obvious symptoms. Some studies suggest silent heart attacks\u2014known medically as silent ischemia, or lack of oxygen to the heart muscle\u2014are more common in women than men. Risk factors are the same as those for a more obvious heart attack, but the sufferer may chalk their symptoms up to anxiety or illness. And because sufferers don\u2019t know they\u2019ve experienced a medical emergency, they don\u2019t seek treatment, which can lead to further damage to the heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While most who experience a silent heart attack feel some symptoms \u2014 pain in the jaw, chest, upper back or arm similar to a strained muscle, prolonged and excessive fatigue, faintness or nausea \u2014 Tasha said she didn’t recall feeling anything that she could pinpoint as being the moment when she suffered the attack. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cI could not think of anything that had happened,\u201d she said. \u201cI had no clue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasha\u2019s saga began in 2014, when she learned during a routine physical that her blood pressure was elevated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cBased on the numbers back then, it was considered pre-hypertension,\u201d Tasha said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Her doctor put her on a low dose of medication to keep her blood pressure in check. During a follow-up in 2015, the doctor ordered an EKG. That was when she discovered Tasha\u2019s coronary event.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cShe showed me my results, and she showed me these lines, and she said, \u2018This means you’ve had a heart attack,\u2019\u201d Tasha said. \u201cAnd in my head I’m like, \u2018I haven’t had a heart attack. Maybe there’s something wrong with the machine.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But the cardiologist came to the same conclusion: at the age of 36, Tasha, an otherwise healthy mom of four, had suffered a silent heart attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe did stress tests, more EKGs, X-rays, a whole bunch of tests. And my heart is healthy, in itself, it’s healthy,\u201d she said. \u201cBut I had a heart attack.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The news was especially unsettling, because Tasha has always been healthy. She has no family history of heart disease, and tests showed that there are no problems with her heart. She is at a healthy weight, she exercises regularly and she eats a healthy diet (despite what she calls \u201ca bit of a sweet tooth\u201d). <\/p>\n\n\n\n
So that doctor\u2019s appointment in 2015 was a wake-up call. Tasha, a native of London, just finished up her bachelor\u2019s degree in social work at Syracuse University. She lives in East Syracuse with her husband, a retired Marine, and their four kids. She\u2019s the church administrator for The Promised Land Church. While she tries to stay healthy, learning she could have a heart attack without knowing it made her realize how little attention she was paying to her own body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSeeing as that happened and I didn’t know, now I really try and pay attention to myself,\u201d she said. \u201cI listen to my body. It\u2019s remembering to take care of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasha noted that women often neglect their own self-care as they tend to their families, their homes, their jobs, and a host of other responsibilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSometimes as mothers we put maybe our children’s needs first, our families\u2019 needs first,\u201d she said. \u201c[We say] \u2018I’ve just got a little cold, I’ll be okay, I’ll just take some Tylenol,\u2019 or whatever. We put ourselves on the back burner… It’s not a bad thing to take care of yourself. I have to be here for me, and then I have to be here for my children and my husband.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tasha has also made it her mission to use her experience to raise awareness about heart disease in women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIt doesn’t discriminate,\u201d she said. \u201cI was young, 36, when I found out. So I just wanted to raise awareness, and especially for ladies, take care of yourself. Especially mothers and wives who kind of put everybody else ahead of us.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She encouraged women to advocate for one another.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cJust take care of yourself, pay attention to yourself, and look out for other women and use the resources available around you,\u201d Tasha said. \u201cBecause life is too short, and we’ve got a lot to live for. We\u2019ve got to take care of ourselves.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
You\u2019d never know Tasha Benjamin had a heart attack. In fact, Tasha herself didn\u2019t know it until her doctor told her. \u201c[My doctor said], \u2018Yeah, I need to refer you [to a cardiologist],\u2019\u201d Tasha recalled. \u201cI’m like, \u2018Okay, why?\u2019 And she’s like, \u2018Well, you’ve had a heart attack. Have you had a heart attack?\u2019 And I…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2249,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[99,101,126],"tags":[531,747,157,758,757],"class_list":["post-2248","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-features","category-health","tag-american-heart-association","tag-go-red-for-women","tag-inspire","tag-silent-heart-attack","tag-tasha-benjamin"],"gutentor_comment":0,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/dsc-5288.jpg?fit=2048%2C1380&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2805,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2805","url_meta":{"origin":2248,"position":0},"title":"Women\u2019s Reproductive Health: Have a Heart and Keep It Strong!","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"By Heather Shannon, MS, CMN, WHNP, MPH \u00a0 February is heart health month and so much effort is focused on keeping our hearts strong and healthy.\u00a0 We know that diet and exercise are imperative in keeping women on the right track, but genetics can get in the way, despite doing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Features"","block_context":{"text":"Features","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=101"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/blood-pressure.jpg?fit=1200%2C621&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2836,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=2836","url_meta":{"origin":2248,"position":1},"title":"Letter from the Editor: Heart health, mental health closely tied","author":"Sarah Hall","date":"February 1, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"Some 8 million deaths a year can be linked to mental health issues, from depression to eating disorders \u2014 but that\u2019s a deceptively low number. People who suffer from mental illness are more likely to suffer from a chronic illness or engage in unhealthy behaviors which contribute to a higher\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "From the editor"","block_context":{"text":"From the editor","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=717"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/breakfast-1869772_1920.jpg?fit=1200%2C900&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3514,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=3514","url_meta":{"origin":2248,"position":2},"title":"Guest Commentary: This year, \u2018Be the Beat\u2019","author":"Alyssa Dearborn","date":"February 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"By Kristy Smorol February is one of my favorite months of the year. It\u2019s American Heart Month! As a marketing and communications director for the American Heart Association, I spend my February days wearing red, talking about heart health, and reminding women that heart disease is their biggest health threat.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Commentary"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Commentary","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=1245"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Kristy-Smorol-headshot-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Kristy-Smorol-headshot-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Kristy-Smorol-headshot-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Kristy-Smorol-headshot-scaled.jpg?fit=800%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1554,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1554","url_meta":{"origin":2248,"position":3},"title":"Jean Phillips","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Keeping Your Health in Mind\u00a0 By Samantha Leader | Photography by Alexis Emm\u00a0 Jean Phillips, a retired Syracuse City School District educator and administrator, was familiar with the impact of heart disease. Her sister passed away from a heart attack at age 61, and her brother passed away from heart\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Featured"","block_context":{"text":"Featured","link":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?cat=99"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/AEP-SWM-FEB-2017-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/AEP-SWM-FEB-2017-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/AEP-SWM-FEB-2017-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/AEP-SWM-FEB-2017-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/02\/AEP-SWM-FEB-2017-3.jpg?fit=1200%2C794&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1545,"url":"https:\/\/www.syracusewomanmag.com\/?p=1545","url_meta":{"origin":2248,"position":4},"title":"Q & A with Evelyn Carter","author":"Staff","date":"February 1, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Going Red Again Photography by Edges Photography\u00a0 This year, Evelyn Carter, director of community relations for Wegmans Food Markets and past SWM cover woman, once again takes the helm of the American Heart Association\u2019s Go Red for Women campaign. 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