A Healthy Heart is a Happy Heart
February is American Heart Month. This month is also known as Women’s Heart Month and Wear Red Day. The official day to wear red in support of heart health is Friday, February 5, 2016. This event has been expanded to include wearing red every Friday in February.
Did you know?
- Heart disease is the most common cause of death in the United States and refers to multiple heart conditions.
- Heart disease is caused by plaque buildup in arteries causing a narrowing of the artery and restriction of blood flow to the heart.
- Many factors including smoking, an unhealthy diet and not enough exercise increase your risk for heart disease.
- High cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes increase your risk for heart disease.
Warning Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack
Excessive sweating or a cold sweat, nausea or vomiting, jaw pain, back pain, feeling of an elephant on your chest, unusual fatigue, weakness, lightheadedness and dizziness are all symptoms a heart attack. Usually a person having a heart attack will experience multiple symptoms listed above. If someone has these signs call 911 immediately.
Diagnosis and Prevention
- Diagnosis is determined by a doctor after a series of test which can include some or all of chest x-rays, electrocardiograms (EKG or EEG), coronary angiograms and stress tests.
While prevention is not guaranteed, steps can be taken to substantially minimize the risk of Heart Disease.
- Don’t smoke
- Eat Healthy, reduce saturated fat in your diet
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Exercise Regularly
- Reduce or treat other risks such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol
The CDC’s website (www.cdc.gov) has information on how to accomplish all of these.
Support Heart Health – Wear Red on Fridays in February.
Are You Heart Healthy?
What do you do to stay heart healthy? Do you have a favorite heart healthy recipe? Is there a picture of you and your family or friends doing something heart healthy?
Submit your recipes and pictures to [email protected] by February 22nd to be published on Friday, February 26th in an update of this Are You Heart Healthy page.
