When most people think of February, they think of Valentine’s Day. But February, which is American Heart Month, is also a reminder to take care of your “literal” heart through good health care, exercise and a healthy diet. Love yourself enough to care for your heart and then share that love with others!
The heart is the workhorse of the human body. It’s in constant motion, even when the rest of your body isn’t, making it critical that you take good care of this precious muscle. Unlike other muscles in your body, there is simply no time-out, rest period or downtime for the human heart.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and around the world, accounting for one in every five deaths in the U.S. or about 695,000 deaths per year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These numbers equate to someone dying from heart disease every 34 seconds! Heart disease is quite literally a broken heart.
The term heart disease refers to many conditions that affect the heart including:
♥ Coronary artery disease: the most common form of heart disease and is when plaque builds up in the coronary arteries reducing blood flow to the heart. Coronary artery disease can lead to chest pain and heart attack.
♥ Heart attack: when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is blocked, usually by a blood clot. It can cause damage and even death and is a medical emergency.
♥ Heart failure: when the heart cannot pump blood effectively enough to meet the body’s needs. Heart failure can cause shortness of breath, fatigue, and swelling in the legs and feet.
♥ Arrhythmias: Problems with the heart’s rhythm causing it to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some arrhythmias are harmless and some can be life-threatening.
♥ Heart valve disease: when one or more of the heart’s valves do not open properly affecting blood flow through the heart.
♥ Cardiomyopathy: a disease of the heart muscle that makes it harder for the heart to pump blood. It can be caused by genetics, infections, alcohol use or other medical conditions.
♥ Peripheral artery disease: when arteries supplying blood to the arms or legs narrow due to plaque buildup. It’s related to coronary artery disease and increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.
While, yes, the heart’s primary function is to circulate blood through the body, its role goes far beyond that including controlling blood pressure and helping the body react to different situations such as exercise, stress and rest. The heart also supports the body’s immune and hormonal systems by circulating white blood cells to fight infections and transporting hormones that regulate body functions such as growth, metabolism, and stress responses.
While a small percentage of heart disease is genetic, many risk factors associated with heart disease are preventable with proper diet and exercise and healthy lifestyle choices. Risk factors include high cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes, all of which can be controlled by diet and exercise, and quitting smoking.
American Heart Month is a great reminder to be kind to your heart. Never assume that your heart can take a licking and keep on ticking. Treat your heart with the care it deserves for the life-sustaining work that it does.
For more information on your EWTF Health Plan, visit www.ewtf.org/health-care-plan/plan-OVERVIEW/.