American Heart Month
Did you know that more than 600,000 Americans die each year from heart disease? Heart disease is the number one cause of deaths for most groups and it affects all ages, genders, and ethnicities. That is why every February, American Heart Month is observed to raise awareness on the importance of a healthy heart and to encourage healthy habits that help reduce the risk of heart disease and improve overall heart health. As stated by NHLBI, American Heart Month’s goal is even more important in recent years as those with poor cardiovascular health are also at increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19.
How to Get Involved
- Wear Red: The first Friday of February is National Wear Red Day in the United States. Wear red and encourage others to do the same. Help raise awareness that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and largely preventable.
- Take Up a Heart-Healthy Habit: This month, work on creating a new healthy habit for yourself. It can be anything from jogging a few times a week or substituting sodas with water. Whatever you choose, try to stick with it and build on it throughout the year.
- Manage Your Stress: Unmanaged stress and anxiety can be dangerous for heart health. Dr. Rachel M. Bond, system director of women’s heart health at Dignity Health in Arizona, suggests finding healthy ways to cope with stress during these uncertain times. Visit our previous blog post to learn more about stress management techniques.
- Educate Yourself: Learn about types of hearts disease, the risk factors and symptoms, the ways you can prevent them, and the lifestyle choices that can help you stay healthy.
Reading about heart disease can seem scary but prevention doesn’t have to be. Managing your diet, stress, sleep, and activity levels are all great ways you can show your heart some love. Stay tuned throughout American Heart Month as we go into detail on ways you can improve your heart health and prevent heart disease.