Issue #92: HEART.
heart month, how women present differently, albums for quite hours, breakfast and lunch idea for heart health, and a 7 day creative fast.
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February invites us to pause and pay attention to the steady rhythm that carries us through our days.
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for women (by 2050, nearly 60% of women will have some form of cardiovascular disease)— yet for decades, women weren’t meaningfully included in cardiovascular research. What we now understand is that heart health in women often looks different than it does in men. Symptoms can be subtler. Risk factors show up differently. Warning signs are easier to miss — by providers and by ourselves.
And as with so much in women’s health, we are still catching up.
But when we talk about the heart, we’re also talking about more than arteries and lab values.
From a Traditional Chinese Medicine perspective, the Heart is the “emperor” — the organ that houses the Shen (spirit), governs blood, and influences our capacity for joy, connection, sleep, and emotional regulation. When the Heart is well-supported, we feel steady, clear, and connected. When it’s taxed — by chronic stress, overwork, unresolved emotion, lack of rest — we can see it ripple out as anxiety, insomnia, palpitations, burnout, or a sense of disconnection from ourselves.
Stress is not separate from heart health. It lives in it.
Modern research is catching up to what traditional systems have long understood: chronic stress and systemic inequities take a measurable toll on the heart. And that burden is not distributed equally. Black women, in particular, experience disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease — shaped not only by biology, but by sustained stress, structural pressures, and the cultural expectation to carry so much while receiving far too little care in return.
Protecting the heart, then, isn’t just about what you eat or how often you exercise.
It’s about:
Knowing your numbers.
Understanding your unique risk factors.
Not dismissing symptoms.
Tending to your nervous system.
Getting adequate rest.
Asking for support.
Being believed.
This month, we widen the lens.
The heart is physical.
The heart is emotional.
The heart is energetic.
The heart is communal.
Your heart has carried you through everything.
Now we ask — what would it look like to carry it with care?
ONE WEEK AWAY!
We would love you to join us!
Join Denizen MKE and Interwovxn at Denizen for a special night of conversation, music, and dancing—plus a cash bar and a grazing table. Open to everyone interested in celebrating women, creativity, and community.
The night features a short chat with Representative Robyn Vining in conversation around women’s health in Wisconsin, live music from singer-songwriter Ellie Jackson, and reflections from speaker and educator KC. As the evening unfolds, DJ Dripsweat closes things out with a set that invites everyone to dance.
Come as you are and enjoy a welcoming, celebratory atmosphere with a cash bar and a beautifully curated grazing table by Dom Sera Grazing Co. Whether you’re here to listen, dance, or simply spend a great night out with community, we’d love to see you there.
PS — This event is for EVERYONE!
While our Revel + Release Dance Parties are created especially for women and femme-identifying folks, our International Women’s Day celebration is open to all who want to celebrate, honor, and uplift women. Bring your partner. Bring your friends. Make it a date night.
Keep on eye on IG for our ticket giveaway this weekend compliments of our friends at:
Head to our IG post for all the tips!
TASTE: Mediterranean Heart Healthy Breakfast + Lunch Ideas. A Mediterranean-style breakfast and lunch can be both deeply flavorful and supportive of heart and mitochondrial health. For breakfast, imagine creamy Greek yogurt (or high-protein dairy-free yogurt) drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil and topped with walnuts, fresh figs, and a sprinkle of cinnamon, paired with whole-grain sourdough and crushed avocado, tomato, and oregano. This approach—central to the traditional patterns studied in the Mediterranean diet—emphasizes fiber, polyphenols, and healthy monounsaturated fats that help reduce inflammation and support cardiovascular function. For lunch, a vibrant plate of grilled sardines or wild salmon over a bed of arugula, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, olives, and chickpeas, dressed with lemon and olive oil, delivers omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants that nourish blood vessels and fuel efficient mitochondrial energy production. Some of the ideas in the links above are a helpful reminder that creating a meal can be simple—built from heart-healthy basics like legumes, leafy greens, olive oil, nuts, and fish—while still being visually beautiful when we include the rainbow of colorful vegetables and fruits. The result is a plate that tastes fresh and satisfying, and supports both cardiovascular resilience and cellular energy from the inside out.
SEE: This is Endometriosis. This Is Endometriosis is a moving short film that gives an intimate look at what it’s like to live with endometriosis—a chronic condition that affects about 1 in 10 people born with a uterus. Directed by Georgie Wileman and Matt Houghton, the film mixes personal storytelling with self-shot footage and photography, offering a raw and honest glimpse into the pain, disbelief, and resilience so many with the condition experience. Just this past week, it won the BAFTA for Best British Short Film—a huge milestone for a project born out of advocacy, community, and authentic representation. What started as a grassroots effort to educate, validate, and raise visibility for those with endometriosis has now reached a global audience, proving the power of storytelling to shine a light on an often-misunderstood condition.
BONUS SEE: Whimsical Websites to Check Out Instead of Doomscrolling. These suggestions are super fun- from a site that allows you to play ambient coffee shop noises to writing a book with another writer to finding out what is playing on the radio around the world and more!
SMELL: Can Sense of Smell Predict Future Heart Disease Risk in Older Adults? Many of us are finding ourselves spending more time caring for aging parents — helping with appointments, noticing changes in their health, or simply becoming more aware of the small shifts that come with getting older. As we support loved ones through this stage of life, we often begin paying closer attention to subtle changes in their senses and overall wellbeing. Emerging research suggests that a diminished sense of smell in older adults may be linked to a higher future risk of Heart Failure, possibly reflecting broader changes in circulation, inflammation, or nervous system health. It’s a reminder that even small sensory changes can offer meaningful clues about the body and indicate further investigation.
HEAR: 15 Albums for Quiet Hours. I will admit, part of my saving this post was that I am obsessed with her shirt or sweater or whatever it is! But it also seemed appropriate as we look to create quiet for our health and heart. And these albums were nowhere on our radar! Enjoy!
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TOUCH: SAVOR: 7 Day Creative Fast. We recently came across a lovely invitation from Natalie Lauren Sims, a seven-day creative fast designed to help us need a little less so we can savor more. The idea is simple and thoughtful: create gentle “loving limits” for the week—no sugar, a daily 30-minute non-digital walk, limiting social media to an hour, and practicing withholding judgment—while choosing three practices each day from a creative menu meant to bring you back to presence, gratitude, and creativity. It begins Sunday at 3pm and runs through Saturday at 3pm, with a flexible rhythm meant to meet life where it is. If the idea of a small reset and a little more intentional savoring sounds appealing, you can explore it at savor.house where you can sign up to track your progress and download the guide—and maybe invite a friend to join you.
What is appealing to your senses right now? What are you reading? watching? cooking? wearing? loving? obsessed with? We would love to share some of your picks in future newsletters!/
and we leave you with…
who else is watching Bridgerton and is impressed with Sophie’s cycle tracking! We may have to start using the symbol ourselves!
have a great WEEKEND!
