February is American Heart Month

DEM Blogger

February 18, 2020

This February is the 56th consecutive American Heart Month!

Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of Americans, so it is important to keep people aware.  Here are some interesting facts from Heart.org about heart disease and how it affects Americans:

• Heart disease kills more people than all forms of cancer put together.
• Heart attacks affect more people every year than the population of Dallas, Texas.
• 83% believe that heart attacks can be prevented but choose to not make quality of life changes.
• 72% of Americans do not think they are at risk for heart disease.
• And 58% do nothing to improve their overall heart health.

A statistic to think about is heart disease kills around 2,300 people a day.  To make this even worse, obesity in children and adults is the highest that it has ever been!

Americans are putting themselves at risk by leading unhealthy lives.  Being inactive physically and having too much salt and sugar into your diet are key contributors to someone having heart disease.  Another contributor being, not keeping track of your blood pressure.  As you get older, not keeping your high blood pressure in check puts you at a greater risk of heart disease or stroke.

Though these statistics are concerning, there is a silver lining.  There are ways to prevent heart disease, and that happens when you factor in healthy lifestyle choices.

Refraining from smoking and having low blood sugar and cholesterol are key.   Keeping a healthy weight is also beneficial!  That means when given the opportunity, you should often include some fruits and vegetables into your diet.  Getting an ample amount of exercise on a daily basis is also important when trying to prevent heart disease.  This does not mean you have to go hard in the gym, but simple walks or runs in your neighborhood or bike rides could go a long way for a healthier life.

Using this information, it is up to us to make a difference and put up a fight against heart disease!