Heart Month

February is Heart Month, a time to bring attention to the importance of cardiovascular health, and what we can to reduce our risk of cardiovascular disease.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada. Every year 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease.

FACT –Heart disease is completely controllable and/or preventable!  It's up to you, with proper nutrition, exercise and managing your existing medical you can reduce your risks for Heart Disease. Here are some tips for preventing heart disease.

• Eating a healthy diet can help you avoid heart disease. Be sure to include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables in your diet. Limit salt and /or sodium from your diet. It’s also a good idea to look at the labels of processed food, avoid eating foods that are high in saturated fat and trans fat. 
• Maintain a healthy weight to lowers your risk of developing diabetes, being at a good weight also helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. Knowing your body mass index (BMI) is one of the best ways to establish whether or not you’re in a healthy weight range. Check your BMI. To 
• Exercise regularly is great for your heart health, it’s never too late to start. Adults should engage in moderate-intensity exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. Physical activity can be easy as starting a walking group at lunchtime or shifting your meeting outdoors and take a walking meeting.  
• Monitor your blood pressure on a regular basis, because high blood pressure often has no symptoms. Make an appointment with your doctor or go into the nest pharmacy to have your blood pressure checked. If you have senior citizen living in your home, make sure their blood pressure is checked on a regular base. If you’re taking medication to treat high blood pressure, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully. Always ask question if you don’t understand something.
• Control your diabetes by monitor your blood sugar levels closely, and talk with your doctor about treatment options. If your at borderline diabetic, you really need to control you diet and reduce your body weight. Diabetes is on the rise in North America! We really need to look at our lifestyle.  
• Don’t smoke it’s a known fact that it increase your risk for heart disease. If you are a smoker and are ready to quit or want to help someone else to quit, talk to your doctor or health practitioner about giving up smoking. The positive impact of quitting smoking starts the very first day. After one year of not smoking, you reduce 50% chance of heart disease.
• Depression is more than feeling sad or low. People who have depression are socially isolated or do not have good social support, which lead them to a higher risk of heart disease. Having a good social life with family and friends can help. If you feel depressed for more than two weeks, talk to your doctor, a family member or someone you know well. 

Stretch before you exercise your heart.

Here are some simple stretch you can do before starting your physical exercise. 

Please note if you have medical problems or if you have been inactive, check with your doctor before starting a physical activity program.

FYI- All Images were taken off of Google Image.