The perfect gift this Valentine’s Day is heart health. Along with Valentine’s Day, February marks American Heart Month, a great time to commit to a healthy lifestyle and make small changes that can lead to a lifetime of heart health. Did you know heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., with men comprising more than half of these fatalities? 610,000 Americans die from heart disease every year (one in four deaths). Every 42 seconds, someone has a heart attack, and every minute, someone dies from a heart-disease-related event. And heart disease is costly. $207 billion is spent each year on heart disease, including health care services, medications, and lost productivity.
Obesity contributes to five of the ten leading causes of death in the U.S., including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cancer, stroke, and kidney disease. Medical conditions and lifestyle choices that put people at higher risk for heart disease include diabetes, being overweight, poor diet, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use. Almost 50% of Americans have at least one of three key risk factors for heart disease, namely high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking. But there are things each of us can do to make a positive impact on our heart health.
- Get regular check-ups
- Know your blood pressure and cholesterol numbers.
- Follow your doctor’s recommendations for diet and exercise.
- Take your medications as prescribed.
- If you smoke, quit now. Smoking harms heart and blood vessels, raises blood pressure, and lowers the amount of oxygen carried by the blood.
- Get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day (150 minutes weekly). It is also recommended that muscle–strengthening activities be included two days each week.
- Eat a heart-healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables, whole-grain foods, and fish.
- Watch your weight. Excess body fat is linked to conditions that increase your risk of heart disease.
- If you have diabetes, control your blood sugar.
- Limit foods high in saturated fats and dietary cholesterol.
- Limit your salt intake to 2300mg of sodium each day.
- If you drink alcoholic beverages, limit them. Women should have no more than one drink per day, and men should have no more than two.
- Have a positive outlook on life. Johns Hopkins researchers have surmised that people with a positive outlook may have more natural protection from the damaging effects of stress. Prolonged stress can negatively impact the immune system. Improving your worldview will benefit your heart.
References:
- Adapted from the American Heart Association
- https://risk.nv.gov/uploadedfiles/risknvgov
- Centers for Disease Control, National Heart Lung and Blood Institute
