February is American Heart Month. American Heart Month is a time to pay special attention to spreading awareness about heart health and informing others about ways to prevent heart disease. Heart disease is the leading cause of death of American Indians and Alaska Natives, most ethnic groups in the U.S., both men and women in the U.S., and the United States population as a whole. About 695,547 people die from heart disease in the U.S. each year. Heart disease can occur at any age, but risks can increase as a person gets older. Those most at risk for heart disease include people with high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity. The risk is also higher with those who smoke, have an unhealthy diet, use alcohol excessively, and have low physical activity. However, small changes in your daily life can reduce your chances of developing heart disease.
Some of these lifestyle choices that can reduce your chance of developing heart disease include:
- Eating a healthy diet
- Getting enough sleep
- Exercising regularly
- Quitting smoking
- Managing Cholesterol Levels
- Managing Blood Sugar Levels
- Managing your Blood Pressure
- Managing your stress levels (find ways to destress, such as by taking deep breaths often. Destressing can look different for everyone)
- Seeing your doctor regularly and checking in on your heart health
This American Heart Month, let’s focus on promoting these healthy lifestyle changes to reduce chance of developing heart disease. Making choices to help your heart health can make a big impact on protecting yourself from developing heart disease.