The perfect gift this Valentine’s Day is the gift of 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. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news? Heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices and manage their health conditions. Communities, health professionals, and families can work together to create opportunities for people to make healthier choices. The American Heart Association recommends obese patients participate in a medically supervised weight loss program to reduce the risk of heart disease.
HOW MANY RISK FACTORS DO YOU HAVE?
Major Risk Factors: are those that research has shown significantly increase the risk of heart disease. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing it.
High Blood Cholesterol
High Blood Pressure
Physical Inactivity
Obesity / Overweight
Smoking
Diabetes
Poor Diet
(Modifiable: Any person can make changes to these risk factors listed above, even modest improvement to your health will make a big difference.)
Age
Gender
Family History
(Non-Modifiable: These risk factors cannot be changed.)
7 SEVEN KEYS TO PREVENTION
Reduce Blood Sugar
Control Cholesterol
Manage Blood Pressure
Stop Smoking
Eat Right
Lose Weight
Get Moving
ARE YOU MAKING AN EFFORT OR MAKING EXCUSES?
12% say they are too busy taking care of others to take care of themselves.
27% live a heart-healthy lifestyle.
17% say they don’t have time to exercise regularly.
18% doesn’t want to stop eating foods they like.
14% say it costs too much to eat healthy.
7% doesn’t know how to take care of their heart.
14% doesn’t like exercising.