February is Heart Health Month

Each February we raise awareness for heart health in the U.S. by recognizing “Heart Health” Month. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. One person dies every 36 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.

Some health conditions and lifestyle choices can put you at higher risk for heart disease such as:

• Overweight and obesity
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol use
• Smoking

The good news is you can lower your risk of getting heart disease just by becoming more active. When you live a healthy lifestyle, you keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels normal and lower your risk for heart disease. Aerobic exercise or cardio exercise makes your body more efficient at delivering oxygen to the rest of your body. Cardiovascular exercise strengthens your heart and makes your heart a more efficient pump.

American College of Sports Medicine recommends moderate intensity aerobic exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week or vigorous intensity aerobic exercise done for at least 20 minutes, 3 days a week.

Moderate Intensity Exercises Vigorous Intensity Exercises

Walking or Jogging                                        Jogging or Running

Leisurely bicycling                                          Fast Cycling

Ice and roller skating                                      High Intensity Interval Training

Working out just 30 minutes a day has many benefits. Here are just a few:

• Improves blood circulation
• Keeps your weight under control
• Helps you quit smoking
• Improves cholesterol levels
• Prevents and manages high blood pressure
• Prevents bone loss
• Boosts energy level
• Helps manage stress
• Helps you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly
• Reduces coronary heart disease in women by 30 to 40 percent
• Reduces risk of stroke by 20 percent in moderately active people
• Delays chronic illness and disease associated with aging

Heart Healthy Foods

Along with staying active and exercising, eating the right foods can prevent cardiovascular disease. Eat a variety of nutritious foods from all the food groups. Nutrient-rich foods have minerals, protein, whole grains and other nutrients but are lower in calories. They may help you control your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure. Here are some healthy tips from the American Heart Association:

• Eat a variety of fish at least twice a week, especially fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (for example, salmon, trout and herring).
• Limit saturated fat and trans fat and replace them with the better fats, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. If you need to lower your blood cholesterol, reduce saturated fat to no more than 5 to 6 percent of total calories. For someone eating 2,000 calories a day, that’s about 13 grams of saturated fat.
• Choose foods with less sodium and prepare foods with little or no salt. To lower blood pressure, aim to eat no more than 2,300 milligrams of sodium per day. Reducing daily intake to 1,500 mg is desirable because it can lower blood pressure even further. If you cannot achieve these goals right now, even reducing sodium intake by 1,000 mg per day can have considerable benefits.

If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation. For women, no more than one drink per day. For men, no more than two drinks per day if you’re a man.