A 50-year tradition dedicates February to American Heart Month.
Since the early 1960s, annual heart-related deaths have dropped.
There are multiple ways to protect yourself against heart disease and the complications and side affects that come from improper heart care. According to the American Heart Association, about 715,000 Americans have heart attacks and 600,000 people die from heart disease annually. That is 25 percent of deaths nationwide, making heart disease the No. 1 cause of death for men and women in the United States.
Luckily, heart disease is preventable and controllable and can be regulated before medical intervention is necessary.
By making minor changes and slightly modifying day-to-day habits, heart disease can be prevented. The major changes individuals are encouraged to make by the American Heart Association revolve around diet, exercise and personal wellness. They call the campaign "Life's Simple 7," and preventative health care is broken into seven steps.
- Get active. It is advised to aim for two and a half hours of moderate physical activity weekly.
- The bloodstream requires a healthy balance of the HDL and LDL, which are the good and bad cholesterol, respectively. Too much LDLs leads to heart attack and stroke by clogging arteries, increasing the chances of heart disease. LDLs can be limited and controlled by eating less saturated fats and oils, red meats and full-fat dairy products. The good cholesterol, HDL, helps clean arteries and is a result of healthy fats in the diet.
- Eating a cleaner diet in general will help reduce the chances of heart disease. Fruits, vegetables, whole-grains and fish are better alternatives to the fast food and snacks many find convenient. Following a heart-healthy diet and limiting the use of salt and alcohol will result in a healthier heart and cardiovascular system.
- High blood-pressure is very common, in fact one-in-three Americans have high blood-pressure, one-in-five without even being aware of it. It is a silent condition with virtually no symptoms and should be checked regularly.
- No one likes to live with excess belly fat, and carrying extra fat around the belly especially, increases the risk of heart disease. Losing just ten pounds will lead to a decrease in the risk of heart disease, high cholesterol and diabetes. By increasing aerobic activity and decreasing caloric intake, you can help to give your heart a break.
- Diabetes has been known to quadruple the risk of heart disease and stroke, so keep an eye on your blood sugars and check them frequently. If left alone, diabetes has many serious side affects but it can be prevented by checking with your doctor, eating right, and controlling your weight.
- Lastly, the American Heart Association encourages everyone to stop smoking. Not only are one-in-five deaths caused by smoking annually, but it can lead to heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic lung disease. It is considered to be the most deadly factor to heart disease.
The American Heart Association has many great resources, like the "Life's Simple 7" campaign, to help educate Americans against the deadly disease and prevent it from becoming a larger problem than it already has proved to be. By getting regular check-ups, being educated on your family history, knowing the warning signs and following the seven simple steps, you can help to protect yourself against the number one cause of preventable death in America.
Attempts to get comment from Dr. Shouping Li, a family practice/cardiology provider with Humboldt General Hospital, were unsuccessful.
The information above was collected from the American Heart Association and compiled by Madison Waldie. The American Heart Association is the nation's oldest, largest voluntary organization devoted to fighting cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Read more about them and preventative heart care at www.heart.org.
Madison Waldie can be reached at m.waldie@winnemuccapublishing.net.[[In-content Ad]]
