The bags of candy hearts are half-price at the drugstore, the roses are wilting and the greeting card aisle has turned its attention to Easter and Passover. Yes, another Valentine’s Day has come and gone. But it’s never too late to focus on matters of the heart because February is American Heart Month, which aims to raise awareness about heart disease and how to prevent it.
So what are we talking about when we use the term “heart disease?” According to the CDC, the term refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common in the US is coronary heart disease — also called coronary artery disease — which occurs when a waxy substance called plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart. Coronary heart disease can cause heart attack, angina (severe chest pain, heart failure, and an irregular heartbeat called arrhythmia). Every year, according to the CDC, about 600,000 people die from heart disease in the US – that’s one out of every four deaths.
The good news is that heart disease is preventable and controllable, primarily by developing healthy lifestyle habits like eating healthy, exercising regularly, monitoring your blood pressure and cholesterol, limiting alcohol intake, and not smoking cigarettes. In recognition of American Heart Month, the CDC has created a commonsense, user-friendly plan called 28 Days to a Healthier Heart, which can help you make one small change per week that will improve your heart health. From working a few minutes of exercise into your day to beginning to replace processed foods in your diet with whole foods, anyone can easily make these tips part of their daily routine all year round.
So much of your heart health depends upon the food you eat. The American Heart Association’s Nutrition Center offers a host of information and advice about healthy cooking at home, eating healthy when you dine out and serves up some delicious, heart-healthy snacks, sides and main courses. Check out the Take-a-Break Snack Mix or the South Pacific Shrimp, but really, there is enough variety and creativity on these pages to accommodate all taste bud preferences.
As American Heart Month comes to a close, remember, it’s never too late to start taking better care of your heart.
Until next week, Stay Well!
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