Did you know?
February is American Heart month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. The division for heart disease and stroke prevention is shining a light on hypertension (high blood pressure), a leading risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
It’s a month to spotlight the fact that heart disease is the number 1 killer of Americans. President Lyndon B. Johnson, among the millions of people in the country who’d had heart attacks, issued the first proclamation in 1964.
President Biden proclaimed February 2022 as American Heart Month and encouraged all Americans to participate in National Wear Red Day on February 4th.
Here are 6 quick tips to improve your heart health:
- Know your blood pressure numbers. Scheduling a yearly check up with your doctor is a great way of staying on top of your numbers.
- Commit to an individualized treatment plan to manage high blood pressure. Work with your doctor to implement realistic, long-term changes to your lifestyle to help you maintain a lower blood pressure and lower your risks of any other health related ailments.
- Be more physically active. It is recommended that healthy adults from 18 to 65 should get at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. The absolute best plan is one that has a mix of weight resistance training and low impact cardio.
- Eat Clean! Reduce your intake of processed foods, especially those high in sodium and sugar. If you can’t pronounce the ingredients on the label, then you should consider making a healthier option.
- Maintain and achieve a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor about a healthy weight to maintain. Being 20 pounds or more of your ideal weight could put you at risk of high blood pressure.
- If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation. If you’re at risk of anything related to your heart health, it would be in your best interest to eliminate drinking altogether for better sleep and energy.
