February is American Heart Month.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States. However, it is largely preventable. It is important to assess your own risk of heart disease by understanding your body and taking steps to increase your heart health. Some of the major risks that contribute to heart disease are high blood pressure, high cholesterol, being overweight, being prediabetic or diabetic, and smoking. If you exhibit any of these risks or others, it is important that you visit your doctor in order to create a plan to reduce them. Lifestyle changes such as managing stress, exercising, eating fruits and vegetables, and getting 7-9 hours of sleep can greatly reduce your chance of developing heart disease.
There are many resources and information accessible that focus on cardiovascular health; the CDC as well as the NIH have articles on how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle.
