February is American Heart Awareness Month, a time where we can put our focus on our cardiovascular health. Heart disease is one of the leading causes of death in America, but there is a lot we can do to prevent this and protect our hearts.
According to Whitehouse.gov, In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson declared February to be American Heart Awareness Month, making it a goal to bring recognition to heart disease. Over the past few decades, we have seen a gradual decline in mortality rates among those affected by heart disease. But with the effects of an aging population, and higher rates of obesity, we’ve hit a few obstacles along the way. In 2019, we have seen a 17.1% increase in heart disease rates. When the pandemic began in 2020, many began to ignore the initial signs of heart attacks. Signs being chest pain, weakness, fatigue, and shortness of breath are some of the more common symptoms of heart attacks. Many hospitals were heavily occupied with COVID-19 patients, leaving many with heart diseases untreated.
American Heart Awareness Month also brings awareness to those affected by congenital heart disorder (CHD). CHD is a congenital defect that develops in the heart before birth. One in four babies is born with CHDs. CHDs can be mild with small holes in the heart, to severe with poorly formed parts of the heart. Symptoms range from abnormal heart rhythms, shortness of breath, or swollen body parts and tissue. Heart Awareness Month wants to bring attention to these symptoms so parents of children can act quicker in getting their children diagnosed.
The Risks That Lead To Heart Disease, and How To Avoid Them
There are many risk factors for heart disease; this includes obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking cigarettes, and lack of physical activity.
- Obesity
- Having a healthy diet is a no-brainer when it comes to preventing obesity. Manage and watch your calorie intake. People become obese because they consume more calories than they burn.
- Obese individuals require more blood to supply oxygen nutrients to their bodies which causes an increase in blood pressure.
- Engage in exercise. Setting an exercise routine is an important step to maintaining or losing weight.
- Pay attention to your alcohol consumption.
- Avoid high-fat and processed foods.
- Diabetes
- High blood glucose from diabetes can damage blood vessels.
- Learn about carbohydrates and counting portion sizes.
- Plan and set schedules for your meals.
- Set an exercise plan.
- Pay attention to your blood sugar levels.
- Avoid sugary beverages.
- Remember to stay hydrated.
- Report any issues to your doctor.
- High Blood Pressure
- High blood pressure damages your arteries by making them less elastic. This decreases the flow of blood and oxygen to your heart.
- Be physically active, and keep a healthy diet.
- Limit your alcohol intake.
- Avoid any foods high in sodium, and other processed foods.
- Quit smoking.
- Smoking Cigarettes
- Smoking cigarettes affects every organ in the body, heavily affecting the cardiovascular system.
- Smoking leads to an increase of plaque formation in the blood vessels.
- Smoking can cause blood to thicken, leading to blood clots.
- Over time can lead to other severe health issues like heart failure, or stroke.
- If you smoke, you are four times more likely to die from heart disease.
- Lack of Physical Activity
- The lack of physical activity can lead to fatty material building up within the arteries. This can lead to heart attacks.
- When the heart is exercised, it can continue pumping blood without strain.
- More physical activity strengthens your heart.
National Wear Red Day®
Many ask, how can I support Heart Awareness Month? National Wear Red Day® was created to help continue raising awareness of heart disease. Nurses and clinicians across America wear red to show their support. What day should healthcare workers wear red for heart month? Many choose to support it by wearing red on the first Friday each February. Wearing red to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease helps save lives. It brings attention to the preventable risks, and possible symptoms those may not notice at first.
How You Can Stay Healthy As a Healthcare Worker
February is the heart-filled month of the year. During this time of year, healthcare workers can start by adopting healthy lifestyles, and promoting healthy habits. Not smoking, regular checkups, and moderate exercise helps encourage others to participate in heart month. Take a look into your family’s heart history for any heart disease. Know the ages at which your family members were diagnosed. Be a resource to many other individuals this month by sharing useful information on heart health. Offer additional information around improving communication, a stroke prevention guide, or a cardiovascular risk provider tool. As we collaborate together, we can educate more and more on the risks of heart disease, and continue to prevent it from affecting others.
NursaTM wants to help educate those on heart health awareness. We want more people to be aware of the risks, and take the steps necessary to prevent them. We deeply care for and appreciate our clinicians, wanting them to take care of themselves as much as they care for many others. We are proud to have many professionals on our team here at NursaTM. As a healthcare staffing app, we want our nurses and clinicians to stay happy and healthy. Remember to stay healthy, keep active, eat healthily, and keep an eye out on your heart.
