February is known for love, with Valentine’s Day being the highlight of the month. However, February is also significant for another reason – it’s American Heart Month. A time dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and promoting healthy habits for those living with this condition. Whether you or someone you know has been diagnosed with heart disease, or if you’re simply looking for ways to improve your overall cardiovascular health, this month is here to bring awareness to your heart.
American Heart Month serves as a reminder to prioritize our heart health and recognize the importance of preventing and managing heart disease. According to the CDC, heart disease is still the leading cause of death in America, accounting for 655,000 deaths per year. It affects every age, gender, and ethnicity. With risk factors that are attributed to heart disease including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and excessive alcohol use. Although heart disease has been known for years, modern life seems to have increased these risk factors. Allowing for more people to be prone to heart disease. Today, roughly one in four deaths in the U.S can be linked to heart disease.
For the most part, heart disease is preventable when people are aware of heart disease and choose to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Which gives you the power to protect yourself against this fatal disease. Doing heart-healthy actions like not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol, treating high blood pressure, getting at least 20 to 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a day, and getting regular checkups will help. By combining this with reducing your daily stress, you can help reduce any risk factors associated with heart disease.
American Heart Month is an important time to prioritize our heart health and understand the impact of heart disease on our lives. So, let’s take this opportunity during American Heart Month to reflect on our habits and make positive changes for our hearts. Let’s spread awareness and encourage our friends and family to do the same. Together, we can make a real impact in reducing the number of deaths caused by heart disease each year.
For more information on American Heart Month, click here.
Article written by William Graves.