February is American Heart Month, a federally designated event, made possible by President Lyndon B. Johnson by a proclamation in February of 1964. At that time, more than half the deaths in the U.S. were caused by cardiovascular disease.

While American Heart Month is a federally designated month in the United States, it’s important to realize that cardiovascular disease knows no borders. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.3 million deaths each year. That number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030.

Today, one of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. Of course, there are risk factors that you can’t do anything about. These risk factors include age, race, gender and family history. It is true that African American males over the age of 45 and African American woman over the age of 55 are at a greater risk.

• Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year – more than all cancers combined. Go Red For Women inspires women to make lifestyle changes, mobilize communities and shape policies to save lives.

• African American men, especially those who live in the southeast region of the United States, are at the highest risk for heart disease.  Million Hearts® is encouraging African American men to take charge of their health and start one new, heart-healthy behavior that can help reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke.

There is a chance that heart disease has affected someone that you love.  While many of us may fall in to these categories, there are some warning signs that the body will give you. Never ignore these signs; you may be developing heart disease.

These warning signs include:

• Chest pain or discomfort,

• Nausea, indigestion,

• Pain that spreads threw the arm,

• Dizzy or light headedness

• Throat or jaw pain

• Irregular heartbeat,

• Snoring,

• Getting exhausted easily,

• Cold sweats,

• Persistent coughing,

• Swelling in the legs, feet and ankles.

Below are a few of the preventive measures you can utilize to take better care of your health.

·        Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease. It is important to get your blood pressure checked regularly - Take steps, including lifestyle changes, to prevent or control high blood pressure.

·        Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control. High levels of cholesterol can clog your arteries and raise your risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack. Lifestyle changes and medicines (if needed) can lower your cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood. High levels of triglycerides may also raise the risk of coronary artery disease, especially in women.

·         Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease. This is mostly because they are linked to other heart disease risk factors, including high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Controlling your weight can lower these risks.

·         Eat a healthy diet. Try to limit saturated fats, foods high in sodium, and added sugars. Eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains. The DASH diet is an example of an eating plan that can help you to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol.

·         Get regular exercise. Exercise has many benefits, including strengthening your heart and improving your circulation. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. All of these can lower your risk of heart disease.

·         Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It also adds extra calories, which may cause weight gain. Both of these raise your risk of heart disease. Men should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per day, and women should not have more than one.

·         Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. You can talk with your health care provider for help in finding the best way for you to quit.

·         Manage stress. Stress is linked to heart disease in many ways. It can raise your blood pressure. Extreme stress can be a "trigger" for a heart attack. Also, some common ways of coping with stress, such as overeating, heavy drinking, and smoking, are bad for your heart. Some ways to help manage your stress include exercise, listening to music, focusing on something calm or peaceful, and meditating.

·         Manage diabetes. Having diabetes doubles your risk of diabetic heart disease. That is because over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels. So, it is important to get tested for diabetes, and if you have it, to keep it under control.

·         Make sure that you get enough sleep. If you don't get enough sleep, you raise your risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes. Those three things can raise your risk for heart disease. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Make sure that you have good sleep habits. If you have frequent sleep problems, contact your health care provider. One problem, sleep apnea, causes people to briefly stop breathing many times during sleep. This interferes with your ability to get a good night’s rest and can raise your risk of heart disease. If you think you might have it, ask your doctor about having a sleep study. If you do have sleep apnea, make sure that you get treatment for it.

Reference: mcnhealthcare.com

 Submitted by the WOMBC Healthcare Ministry