February is American Heart Month
(French Camp, CA) – February is American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular disease is a term for all types of diseases that affect the heart or blood vessels. More than 800,000 people die of cardiovascular disease every year in the United States. Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of women, causing 1 in 3 deaths each year.
Most cardiovascular diseases may be preventable with education and action. Simple lifestyle changes can make a big impact when it comes to heart health.
Show your heart some love with the following tips.
- Stop using tobacco smoking– Make a quit plan. It is the best thing you can do for your heart and overall health.
- Know your numbers-maintain a healthy weight, blood pressure and total cholesterol to stay healthy.
- Screen for diabetes-untreated diabetes can lead to heart disease.
- Get active-The American Heart Association recommends five 30-minute moderate exercise sessions each week. These sessions can be broken up into two or three 10 or 15-minute segments throughout the day.
- Build some muscle-strength training complements cardiovascular exercise by toning muscles and burning fat.
- Eat smart-A healthy diet full of heart-smart foods is essential to a healthy heart and lifestyle.
- Stress less by practicing positive self-talk and meditation breaks.
- Sleep 7-9 hours a night to improve sleep quality.
For more tips, click here for the Heart-Healthy Living section of the National Institutes of Health,
HPSJ offers a Heart Failure Condition Monitoring program for members who qualify. In the program, members can learn about heart related illnesses, get community resources materials, support, get educated on medications, learn how to take care of their heart, learn about local health fair events and classes. All materials are mailed out to members. For more on a heart management program visit https://www.hpsj.com/disease-management/.
Resources:
- National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute/National Institutes of Health, click here for What is coronary heart disease?
- American Heart Association, Heart Attach and Stroke Symptoms in Women, click here
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Health Plan of San Joaquin serves over 400,000 members in San Joaquin and Stanislaus counties. Visit the web site at www.hpsj.com.
Media Contact:
Jill Center, Health Plan of San Joaquin, jcenter@hpsj.com