Did you know that February has also been designated as American Heart Health month?
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. It is estimated that every 43 seconds, someone will suffer a heart attack.
1. Don't Be a Statistic
If you are morbidly overweight, a smoker or have high cholesterol, your risk increases significantly for heart disease. A poor diet, especially one loaded with junk foods, fast food and foods loaded with salt will also increase your risk of developing heart disease.
- More than 6 million women suffer from heart disease
- An additional 37 million women are in danger of developing heart disease
- 1 in 3 women dies from heart disease each year
- 40% of African Americans suffer from high blood pressure
- African American men are at highest risk for heart disease
2. Take the First Steps
Even if you don't feel sick, take the first step to see a doctor regularly. Regular checkups could help detect the start of health disease, and early treatment can make all the differences. Also, don't forget the following:
- Listen to your doctor's recommendations (e.g. Take multivitamins, exercise more, etc.)
- Review your family history (Does anybody in your family have heart-related issues?)
- Consider changing small habits first (One less soda, one less candy bar...)
3. New Year, New Life
It takes approximately 3 weeks or 21 days to make or break a habit. You can't expect instant results, but you also can't expect
Even if you slip up or fall off track, push yourself to KEEP GOING!
- If you smoke, stop!
- If you drink, stop!
- If you don't exercise, start walking for at least 30 minutes a day.
- If you don't eat enough fruits and veggies, start incorporating them into your meals more.
Remember, "healthy" looks different on everybody! And, no matter what, YOUR health and happiness is important.