American Heart Month
February is Heart Health Month, making it the perfect time to evaluate your daily habits and make small adjustments that can yield lifelong benefits. Whether you’re in your 20s, 30s, 40s, or beyond, prioritizing heart health can significantly improve your overall well-being.
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death across all racial and ethnic groups in the United States, accounting for approximately one in five deaths. However, research shows that simple lifestyle changes can prevent nearly 80% of these deaths.
Introducing Life’s Essential 8™️ It’s never too late to make better health choices. You can achieve ideal cardiovascular health by adhering to the eight components of Life’s Essential 8:
- Eat a healthy diet consistent with American Heart Association recommendations.
- Get at least 150 minutes of moderate [1] intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity (or a combination of both) each week.
- Don’t smoke, vape or use other tobacco products and avoid second-hand smoke.
- Aim for an average of 7 to 9 hours of sleep a day.
- Reach and maintain a healthy body weight (body mass index less than 25 kg/m2).
- Get your cholesterol checked and talk to your health care professional about your numbers and how they impact your overall risk.
- Keep fasting blood sugar less than 100 mg/dL or an A1C of less than 5.7%.
- Keep blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg.
For more information on My Life Check, call 1-888-242-4503 or email workforce@heart.org.
They have created many educational booklets like this to help you and your family make healthier choices to reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, manage your condition or care for a loved one.
To learn more, call toll-free at 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) or contact your nearest American Heart Association office.
