It’s Heart Month! Learn How to Live a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle.
February is Heart Month. The first step in taking care of your heart is understanding cardiovascular risk factors. The American College of Cardiology (ACC) offers tools and resources to help you live a heart-healthy lifestyle and prevent or manage heart disease.
We started celebrating Heart Month 60 years ago when Lyndon B. Johnson proclaimed American Heart Month in 1963 to raise awareness and encourage Americans to join the battle against heart disease. The month of February is a great opportunity to learn more about heart disease but also what you can do to prevent it.
A healthy lifestyle is the first step in preventing heart disease. This includes eating healthy food, maintaining a healthy weight, being active, and not smoking. It is also important to keep an eye on factors like diabetes, high blood pressure and/or high cholesterol that make heart disease more likely.
In addition to lifestyle, staying up to date with your vaccines is particularly important, especially during the cold season and given the ongoing COVID pandemic. Download the ACC’s free CardioSmart Adult Vaccination Infographic to learn how you can protect your heart with vaccines. The infographic also includes information regarding the vaccines you need based on your age, lifestyle and job, as well as where you can get them. Don’t forget to keep a record of your vaccines, similar to keeping a list of the medications you can take. Use CardioSmart’s Vaccine Record Handout to learn more about what vaccines you might need, especially if you have heard disease, and take advantage of this worksheet to help you with keeping a vaccine record.
Participating in clinical studies is also an important way you can contribute to science and help in preventing and treating heart disease. Clinical studies play a crucial role in the development of new drugs, vaccines, procedures, devices, and other life-saving tools and resources. Most importantly, clinical studies are better for everyone when they include people of all backgrounds. Learn about the benefits of participating in a clinical study and how to take part.
Take advantage of Heart Month to start your journey to better heart health and set meaningful goals for you and/or your family members. One small step today, could make a bigger different tomorrow and into the future.
Happy Heart Month!
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