UNITED STATES – February is dedicated to taking care of your heart. This year the National Heart Association American Heart Month’s theme is, reclaim your rhythm. This means learning to get back into a healthy routine to improve your health.
One in every four people in the United States dies of heart disease. For women, it’s 1 in every 3.
There are different heart diseases, but the most common in the United States is Coronary Heart Disease, which is the build-up of plaque in the arteries supplying blood to the heart.
Stephanie Badillo-Sanchez, the communications director for the Yakima Health District said it’s never too late to improve your health so try to prevent heart disease.
“There are risk factors that individuals can watch out for and also do little life changes in your everyday life that will lower your risk,” Badillo-Sanchez said.
People most at risk for developing heart disease are people with high blood pressure, high cholesterol, people who don’t do physical activity, smokers and people who are overweight. According to the CDC this is nearly half of the population.
Pregnancy and menopause can increase women’s chances of developing heart disease. During those important times, it’s important to stay in contact with your medical provider.
High amounts of stress can also increase your risk.
Badillo-Sanchez said it’s important to take time out of our days to focus on our mental health or do something you enjoy like reading or drawing, even for just a few minutes.
While we can’t control our genetics, we can exercise and improve our diets.
“Incorporating more fruits vegetables in your diet and also reducing the amount of processed foods you eat,” Badillo-Sanchez said.
The General Manager and Fitness Director at Anytime Fitness Jeffrey Mercer said for people who may not have a lot of time to work out, a few machines at the gym could get your heart rate up in only a few minutes.
“A stair mill will kick you right in the butt if you have an issue with steps, row machines could definitely be the best bet or one of those recliner cyclers that are leaned back those are the ideal three in my personal opinion,” Mercer said.
A personal trainer may also be beneficial to motivate you. Mercer said they also keep up with their clients outside of the gym to make sure they’re meeting their goals.
If you have already developed heart disease, Badillo-Sanchez said keeping up a healthy lifestyle can help you lead a long life.
It’s also important to recognize the signs of a heart attack, so you can get medical attention as soon as possible.
Symptoms include:
Uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain in the center of your chest. It lasts more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back.Pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.Other signs such as breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness.As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting and back or jaw pain.
For more information on heart health click you can visit the National Heart Association’s website. You can also find healthy recipes to help you reclaim your rhythm.
