Monthly Well-Being Newsletter: Heart Health | February
Feb 3, 2025
February is Heart Month. High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is the most common disease in the United States. There are many things people can do to improve their heart health.
Hypertension is called the silent killer because there are often little or no signs. This makes it important to get your annual physical and routinely check your blood pressure.
A Healthy Heart Needs:
Healthy Nutrition
Heart Healthy diets focus on vegetables, fruit, whole grains and lean protein. Limit unhealthy fats, limit sodium and limit sugar.
Healthy Weight
Excess weight leads to a higher risk of heart disease. Weight loss comes from a combination of diet and exercise.
Exercise
Your heart is a muscle, and you can strengthen it with exercise. Aerobic exercise and strength training are great for healthy hearts. *Speak with your physician when starting a new exercise regimen.
Quit Tobacco
Smoking can damage heart and blood vessels. Check out these tobacco cessation tips.
Alcohol in Moderation
Heavy drinking is linked to several poor health outcomes including heart disease. Moderate drinking is defined as 1 drink or less per day in women and 2 drinks or less per day in men.
Know Your Symptoms:
Heart Attack
- Chest discomfort: Most heart attacks involve a discomfort in the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like an uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
- Discomfort in other areas of the body: Symptoms include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
- Shortness of breath: With or without chest discomfort.
- Other signs may include: Cold sweats, nausea or lightheadedness.
Stroke: F.A.S.T
- Face Dropping: Does one side of their face droop or is it numb?
- Arm Weakness: Is one arm weak or numb?
- Speach Difficulty: Are they able to speak? Are their words slurred or hard to understand?
- Time To Call 911: If someone shows these symptoms call 911 immediately.
Remember the acronym F.A.S.T to identify symptoms of a stroke.
For both heart attacks and stroke, speed in getting the person to the hospital can make all the difference in recovery and/or survival.
Go here for more information on Stroke Prevention.
