Be Your Heart’s Hero
It’s February, and you know what that means! Valentine's day is right around the corner! But that's not all, according to the American Heart Association it's also American Heart Month, and what better way to let those special people in your life know how much you love them than by taking great care of your health. In honor of American Heart Month, we are showing our love for you by bringing awareness of the risk factors of heart disease and its prevention!
Did you know that in the United States alone, one in four deaths are attributed to heart disease? This means heart disease is the number one cause of death among men and women in the United States.
The CDP team cares deeply for the health and well being of our students and families. So we took the liberty of listing a number of strategies for lowering your risk so that you may live a more rich and fuller life with your family!
Here are a few simple lifestyle choices
that may lower your risk of getting heart disease:
Be physically active: A major risk factor of heart disease is high blood pressure. According to Heart.org, HBP causes unnecessary strain and damage to your heart’s arteries as a result of being restricted by excess cholesterol and fat, this causes your heart to work much harder than it should which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Even a moderate amount of physical activity like walking for 30 minutes a day makes your heart stronger so it doesn't have to work as hard pumping blood to the rest of your body, therefore, lowering your risk.
Have a heart-healthy diet: You are what you eat! HBP is often due to the dietary choices we have incorporated into our routine. Ideally, one should minimize their intake of processed foods like lunch meats, as they are often made with high amounts of sodium and sugar. As well as avoid sugar-sweetened drinks, saturated and trans fats. Instead, to fuel your body try incorporating more nutrient-dense foods like fruits and vegetables to keep you full of life!
Maintain or reach a healthy weight: If you're overweight or have obesity the risk for heart disease increases exponentially. The AHA states that: “Nearly 70% of American adults are either overweight or obese. Being obese puts you at a higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes and more.” When your weight is in a healthy range it means your body is able to circulate your blood more effectively, therefore, lowering HBP”
Quit Smoking: Whether you're smoking a traditional cigarette or one of the new-fangled e-cigarettes you’re still inhaling “7,000 chemicals- 70 of which are known to cause cancer” says the American College of Cardiology. But, if that's not enough to make you stop maybe knowing that smoking is the most preventable cause of heart disease will! Smoking results in a buildup of heart plaque lowers your HDL or good cholesterol and causes your blood to be more likely to clot and block blood flow from the brain and heart.
Curious to know more about heart health?
Then click here for more information!
CDP hopes that after reading this that you’ve been inspired to make better lifestyle choices to keep your heart healthy not only for yourself but also for the people in your life that you love!