Which came first – Valentine’s Day or American Heart Month? It doesn’t really matter, they really go hand in hand. The single best thing you can do for a loved one this Valentine’s Day is to look after your own heart health – and to encourage them to look after theirs. This year, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Million Hearts – a national effort to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the U.S. by 2017 – are encouraging Americans to know their blood pressure, and if it’s high, to make control their goal.
Uncontrolled high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. In fact, more than 67 million Americans have high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure are 4 times more likely to die from a stroke and 3 times more likely to die from heart disease, compared to those with normal blood pressure. Learn more: Understanding blood pressure tests and what your blood pressure numbers mean
What can you do to improve your heart health, lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of hearth attacks or strokes? Here are a few ideas.
We have some good ideas for employers, too … here are some steps you can take in the workplace to improve your employees’ hearth health.
