Healthy Lifestyle, Healthy Heart

February is American Heart Month! This month is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and how people can prevent it at home and in the community.

Did you know Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States? Every year, an estimated 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease. Fortunately, there are ways to help improve your heart health.

Check out these top tips from the CDC on heart-healthy living:

Nutrition

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health Web-site features great recipes, family resources, healthy shopping and cooking tips, and videos. These recipes are limited in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and sodium, and they’re moderate in calories.

Find healthy recipes, meal plans, cooking, and grocery shopping tips. The site features a searchable database of healthy recipes, options to save recipes to a cookbook, print recipe cards, and share recipes via social media. Click here for the Spanish language version.

Try these affordable, delicious recipes and helpful healthy eating resources from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA); the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI); and the American Heart Association (AHA).

Physical Activity

People with overweight or obesity have a higher risk for heart disease. Carrying extra weight can put extra stress on the heart and blood vessels. To find out if your weight is in a healthy range, you can calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) at CDC’s Assessing Your Weight website.

Physical activity can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. For adults, the Surgeon General recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking or bicycling, every week. Children and adolescents should get 1 hour of physical activity every day. For more information, see CDC’s Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity website.

What heart healthy initiatives will you be using this month?