February is known as American Heart Month. Beyond the lovely celebration of Valentine’s Day, the month of February holds another special aspect of the heart; its health. The American Heart Association wants you to live a long and healthy life, and so they have several helpful ways to develop your heart health. Click here to reach their website.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and every minute another person dies of a heart attack. While the causes of these heart attacks and diseases may be different for different people, at least half of Americans share common risk factors.
Risk Factors:
- High blood pressure
- High LDL cholesterol
- Smoking
- Overweight or obesity
- Poor diet
- Physical inactivity
- Excessive alcohol use
- Diabetes
About 630,000 Americans die from heart disease every year, despite the growing awareness of the necessity for heart health and physical activity. This month, please make sure to spread the word and maybe change some aspects of your life and the life of your family too. Your heart is the most vital part of the human body, and February is a great time to show how much you heart your heart by taking good care of it!
Sources:
American Heart Association. (2019). Live a Long and Healthy Life. Retrieved from: https://www.heart.org/en.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Heart Disease in the United States. Retrieved from: https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm.