February is American Heart Health Month

Let Valentine’s Day be your reminder to think about your heart health. Since 1964, the American Heart Association has celebrated American Heart Month every February. Plus, the month also includes National Wear Red Day – Friday, February 2, 2018 – a special focus on women & heart disease.

In 1964, when the focus began, more than half the deaths in the U.S. were caused by cardiovascular disease. Here are a few current stats from the American Heart Association:

Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives each year than all forms of cancer and Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease combined.
About 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 40 seconds.
Approximately every 40 seconds, an American will have a heart attack.About 790,000 people in the US have heart attacks each year. Of those, about 114,000 will die.
About 92.1 million American adults are living with some form of cardiovascular disease or the after-effects of stroke.

To educate the public, American Heart Association promotes Life’s Simple 7 – measures have one unique thing in common: any person can make these changes, the steps are not expensive to take and even modest improvements to your health will make a big difference. Start with one or two. This simple, seven step list has been developed to deliver on the hope we all have–to live a long, productive healthy life.

Get your Heart Score and learn more about Life’s Simple 7. The Life’s Simple 7 steps include a focus on ways to: