Heart of Joy

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Before the laughs

While Behar has blazed comedic trails—she’s toured the country and was the first woman to host a Friar’s Club roast—her inspiration to share laughs came from a darker place.
           
As a new mother in the ’70s, she had a bout of depression. In her first book, Joy Shtick, she describes waking up one morning and not being able to get out of bed. The lethargy lasted six months before she pulled herself out of the doldrums. Drama school and laughter helped put her back on the road to better health.
           
“Humor is my best ally,” she says.

From the heart
Behar’s family history also motivates her to encourage others to take their health to heart. She’s seen firsthand the dangers of heart disease. “My mother’s entire side of the family suffered from heart disease. My mother had her first heart attack at 50,” Behar says.
           
Her uncle died of a heart attack at the age of 58, and her grandparents died of heart ailments when they were about 60. Behar also had a close friend die of a sudden heart attack.
           
In addition to spreading the word about the importance of taking care of your heart, Behar has incorporated some healthy changes into her life. “I like yogurt and granola every morning and a sandwich or a Jenny Craig lunch,” she says. “For dinner, I’ll have fish a lot, sometimes a steak. I rarely have pasta because I can’t stop once I start. I also love grilled chicken and broccoli rabe.”
           
Behar jokes that her favorite workout is watching television and doing the crossword puzzle at the same time. She tries to walk on the treadmill three times a week.
           
About six years ago, her cholesterol total was in the upper 280s, well above the 240 mark that indicates dangerously high levels. “It became elevated after menopause,” she says. She now keeps a close watch on her cholesterol, which is monitored during an annual checkup. She also takes the statin drug Lipitor, and sticks to a heart-healthy diet. As a former smoker from a family of smokers, Behar also crusades against smoking.
           
While Joy Behar isn’t a doctor, following her guidance may put you on a path to a healthier heart.

Love your heart
After completing the American Heart Association’s Go Red Heart Checkup, participants are provided with this heart-healthy checklist. 

Go red anytime you want. Eat red apples, cherries, tomatoes. Leave red kisses on someone’s cheek. Laugh so hard your face turns red.

Go the distance. Move at least 30 minutes a day: Step, march, or jog in place. You can even do it while you’re watching TV. We won’t tell.

Eat smart for your heart. Cut 200 to 300 calories a day. That’s about one less candy bar.

Just stop smoking. Your risk of heart disease and stroke drops by half just one year after you stop.

Do it all for your heart. Every day, put your hand on your heart and promise to be heart-healthy.

Keep in touch. For questions about heart disease and how to prevent it, call the AHA at 888/694-3278.