February is Heart Awareness Month- Love Your Heart

2/12/2019 (Permalink)

One Love - One Heart

February is all about love and hearts. What better way to remind us to take care of our heart than to celebrate American Heart Month! This month is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about how to prevent it from happening to you.

Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure is responsible for nearly one and four deaths, and represents the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

Nearly half of all Americans have at least one risk factor for heart disease, but many don’t recognize the risks or know what to do to minimize the effect on their heart.  This is why heart disease is often referred to as a silent killer. There are many risk factors associated with heart disease and some are uncontrollable, but many can be prevented by a healthy diet and lifestyle choices.

Some risk factors for heart disease include a family history, race or ethnicity, age, tobacco use, high cholesterol, obesity caused by an unhealthy diet, physical activity and diabetes.

You can prevent heart disease naturally as there are simple modification that can go a long way in preventing or reversing heart disease. Eat a healthy diet, enjoy foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids – Fish is the best natural source. Incorporate fiber in your diet this helps reduce cholesterol levels.  Maintain a healthy weight -this is one of the most powerful defenses against heart disease.  Get regular exercise – studies show that exercise also helps manage your stress level that’s a two for one deal! Ditch the bad habits - Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are key risk factors in heart disease.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle and getting regular check-ups from your doctor will help you live a long, loving healthy life!

Take care of your heart!