February is National Heart Health Awareness Month. On February 7th join the nation and wear red to show support and awareness for women and heart disease.
National Heart Awareness Month is sponsored by the American Heart Association. It is designed to provide the public with information that could lead to a more healthful lifestyle and reduce heart disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 610,000 people die of heart disease in the United States yearly. According to the American Heart Association heart disease and stroke kills one in three women yearly in the United States. Heart disease is a silent killer. It often strikes without warning.
Know the risk factors and symptoms of heart disease. Risk factors are family history of heart disease, diabetes, poor diet, high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, excessive alcohol use, smoking and physical inactivity.
The diet choices we make today are important to our nutritional well-being tomorrow. A diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, high in fruits and vegetables, and grain products that contain some type of dietary fiber may reduce the risk of heart disease.
Our health is our most precious possession. A healthy diet is only one part of a heart healthy lifestyle. Physical activity is another important component. The American Heart Association physical activity guidelines recommend some type of aerobic exercise daily. Walking, dancing, biking, swimming, or gardening are good examples. Be sure to consult your physician before starting any exercise program.
We are all concerned about maintaining good health. Take steps to a healthier heart. Develop good eating habits based on moderation and variety, plus physical activity can help keep and even improve your health. So, reach in the back of the closet and find that little red dress and wear it this year on Friday, February 7th in support of Women’s Heart Healthy Awareness. Go Red!
Resource: www.heart.org
For further information, contact:
Dorothy C. Lee, C.F.C.S.
UF/IFAS Extension Escambia County
3740 Stefani Road
Cantonment, FL 32533-7792
(850) 475-5230
dclee@ufl.edu
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