Honoring American Heart Month
The heart. About the size of your fist, this is the hardest working organism in your body – the most important one that keeps you alive, too.
The heart expands and contracts about 100,000 times each day, pumping oxygen and blood throughout your body to provide the nutrition it needs and flushing out wastes like CO2.
As strong as this muscle may sound, the heart is not immune. Heart disease is the leading cause of American deaths, and it’s often a result of poor lifestyle habits such as an unhealthy diet, lack of exercise, smoking, or being overweight. Pre-existing medical conditions, such as heart defects from birth or an infection, can also lead to heart disease.
What’s disturbing is that many individuals are unaware that they have heart disease until it’s too late. That’s why the month of February is designated as American Heart Month to raise awareness about heart disease.
What American Heart Month Is and Why It’s Important
American Heart Month is a month-long event during February to help raise awareness of cardiovascular diseases. This annual event has taken place since 1963. To help you better understand the severity of heart disease, let’s dive into some specifics.
According to the CDC, around 600,000 Americans die from heart disease each year. This number makes up about a fourth of all the deaths in the U.S. Heart disease is not merely a specific disease but a reference to many heart conditions. Furthermore, it cannot be cured or reversed. The good news is that it’s treatable, and there are different treatments to help lessen symptoms and prevent further damage to your heart. Yet, once you have it, you’ll likely experience symptoms for the rest of your life.
Heart disease symptoms come in different forms, often for various health conditions. Yet, many share similarities. The most common ones include:
- Shortness of breath
- Heart palpitations (a fluttering feeling)
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Nausea
- Pounding in the chest
As we mentioned, treating heart disease is not easy and can lead to expensive procedures or surgeries. If you set goals and habits early in life to prevent heart disease, however, the chances of having it are slim. Even if you’re older, you can still start taking measures to prevent yourself from developing heart conditions; starting now is better late than never.
Raising awareness about heart disease is vital. Why? Because, as we’ve said, many individuals are unaware that they have an underlying heart condition. By getting the word out, there’s a chance that a person will see their direct primary care facility and discover they have a heart condition. They can get the appropriate medical treatment from their direct physician and start doing the things that will help them to reduce their symptoms and improve their health.
How to Raise Awareness
So, what are some ways that you can raise awareness about heart disease? There are many methods, but here are a few for starters:
- Social Media: This is probably the easiest way. Consider sharing a post on Facebook or a tweet on Twitter. It doesn’t have to be grand – something simple can go a long way. Maybe share your story if you or someone you know has had heart disease. Or, post a meal you created centered on living a heart-healthy lifestyle. The point is to talk about it.
- Wear Red: Red is the official color for American Heart Month. Consider wearing red to places you go and invite others to do the same.
- Donate: Donating a small amount can help scientists continue their research on heart disease and discover improved treatments or cures.
How to Prevent Heart Disease
Establishing healthy lifestyle goals and habits is the best way to prevent heart disease. So, what can you do to avert it? Here are a few ideas:
- Maintain a Healthy Diet: Poor diet is one of the biggest reasons why so many Americans develop heart conditions. Not only does it contribute to obesity, but eating foods that contain high levels of fats can build plaque in your arteries. In turn, this keeps your heart from being able to pump blood to the rest of your body.
Cut back on eating foods containing high quantities of saturated and trans fats. Instead, look for foods that have monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Foods like avocados, nuts, fish, and seeds are excellent options. They may help reduce high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which prevents heart disease.
Likewise, eating less sugar and salt will lower your blood pressure and prevent other health complications like diabetes. Adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet is another great way to prevent heart disease. Finally, go with foods that are high in fiber like whole grain. - Exercise Regularly: Exercising will help to lower your weight. The Surgeon General recommends that adults should get about 150 minutes of moderate-intense exercise each week. That is about 30 minutes per day.
- Quit smoking: This is a huge factor in preventing heart disease. If you smoke, you put yourself at greater risk of developing heart conditions. Smoking can cause high blood pressure and build plaque in your arteries, increasing your chance of having a stroke or heart attack.
- Get Regular Checkups: Regularly visiting your direct physician or your direct primary care center for health checkups will ensure whether your heart is in good condition or not. It is a great way to detect any possible threats to your health and to receive professional treatment if needed.
Questions? Speak to your Direct Physician
Raising awareness about heart disease will aid in the quest to eliminate it. While heart disease is a frightening health condition, it is preventable. There are treatments available that can reduce symptoms and complications.
If you or your loved one have questions about heart disease or concerns, make an appointment with one of our family doctors at Elevated Health in Huntington Beach, California. We are more than happy to help answer any of your questions!