February is American Heart Health Month. The American Heart Association marks February as a time to raise awareness about heart disease, the leading cause of death for men and women in the USA, statistics show
The UMHS Endeavour looks at what American Heart Health Month is, what you should know about heart health, from basic facts to things you can do to be more “heart healthy,” all based on information from the American Heart Association.
Heart Disease Facts
“1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease” annually, the American Heart Association says. Fortunately, heart disease can be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices. Below are some facts about Heart Health Awareness Month and heart disease in general from the American Heart Association.
How can American Heart Month make a difference?
Use this month to raise awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it — both at home and in the community.
Here are just a few ideas from the American Heart Association:
- Encourage families to make small changes, like using spices to season their food instead of salt.
- Motivate teachers and administrators to make physical activity a part of the school. This can help students start good habits early.
- Ask doctors and nurses to be leaders in their communities by speaking out about ways to prevent heart disease.
Ways to Lower Risk of Heart Disease:
- Watch your weight.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation
2017 Heart Health Events
The American Heart Association lists the following heart health-related events during February.
- Feb. 7-14: Congenital Heart Defect Week - Congenital Heart Defect Information Site
- Feb. 9: Red Dress Collection - A Facebook Livestream of this annual celebrity fashion show will begin at 8 p.m. ET on the national GRFW Facebook page #RedDressCollection
- Feb. 12-18: Heart Failure Awareness Week - Heart Failure Information Site
- Feb. 21-24: American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference
- Feb. 22: Heart Valve Awareness Day - Learn more about Heart Valves.
(Top photo) Human Chest Cavity illustration: Right lung, left lung, heart. Image: Copyright American Heart Association
Online Resources
The American Heart Association
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Quit Smoking
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Heart Disease 101
Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health Heart Health and Stroke
Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Heart and Vascular Diseases
Keep the Beat: Deliciously Healthy Eating
About UMHS:
Built in the tradition of the best US universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciencesfocuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, “personalized medical education,” and it’s what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the US and Canada.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at UMHS and editor of the UMHS Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about UMHS students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and UMHS research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
