February is American Heart Month and the perfect time to get serious about your heart health. Heart disease is the number one killer of Americans and a disease that may be prevented and treated with proper health and screening.1 Take a look at how this month first became recognized and what you could do to improve your heart health.
The Origin of American Heart Month
In 1964, Lyndon B. Johnson first proclaimed the month of February American Heart Month. Lyndon, himself a heart attack survivor, understood the importance of maintaining good heart health and set aside a month to help raise awareness about the often "silent killer."2
The month-long celebration is designed to reinforce the importance of heart health and promote lifestyle changes that help Americans reduce their risk of heart disease, helping them to lead healthier lives. With one in four Americans succumbing to heart disease, prevention, and early testing are vital to improving health and life expectancy.2
Ways to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease
Sometimes, the easiest way to fight heart disease is through prevention. Below are just a few ways to lower your risk of heart disease and improve your cardiovascular health.
- Quit smoking: Nicotine may harm your cardiovascular system and contribute to heart attacks, blood clots, and strokes.
- Maintain a Healthy Weight: Obesity may lead to many health conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular problems, as excess weight strains your heart and other organs. Keeping within your ideal weight range may lower your risk of cardiovascular disease.
- Stay Active: Getting 30 minutes of activity where your heart rate is up at least five days a week may help keep your heart strong, keep your stamina up, and improve your cardiovascular health.
- Eat Healthy: A healthy diet may help you maintain a proper weight and reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol. It may be important to focus on foods that are low fat, high in protein, and rich in fiber and other nutrients.
- Stay on Top of Medical Appointments: Having regular heart screenings and staying on top of other conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes may help in maintaining your cardiovascular health.3
This February, take charge of your heart health by making changes to improve your cardiovascular system and lower your risk of heart disease.
Footnotes:
1 https://medlineplus.gov/howtopreventheartdisease.html
2U.S. commemorates 57th consecutive American Heart Month in February Heart.org, https://www.heart.org/en/around-the-aha/february-is-american-heart-month
3American Heart Month 2021: What is it and why is it important?, Today, https://www.today.com/health/american-heart-month-how-reduce-risk-heart-attack-t147851
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This article was prepared by WriterAccess.
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