February is American Heart Month, a time to raise awareness about the importance of heart health and the dangers of heart disease—the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 5 deaths in the U.S. in 2022 were due to heart disease, which affects both men and women, as well as people of all ages and ethnic groups.

However, there is good news: by working with your healthcare provider to better understand your risk factors, implementing some simple lifestyle changes, and maintaining regular screenings, you can greatly reduce your risk for heart disease.

Knowing the Risk Factors
Knowing which factors affect heart health and monitoring them regularly with your doctor can make a life-saving difference.

Key risk factors for heart disease include:

• High blood pressure

• High cholesterol levels

• Diabetes

• Obesity

• Family history of heart disease

• Physical inactivity

• Unhealthy diet

• Chronic stress

• Poor sleep

• History of smoking and tobacco use

• Excessive alcohol consumption

Knowing the factors can help you make informed lifestyle choices, seek medical guidance, and take proactive steps to protect your heart health.

Living a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle
A heart-healthy lifestyle is essential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. There are simple changes we can make today that can go a long way in promoting heart health. Living a healthy lifestyle alone, from a heart standpoint, does not guarantee the prevention of cardiovascular disease; however, it may help delay the disease, reduce complications, and improve your quality of life.

A few key areas to reflect on and consider changes include:

• Good nutrition: Maintaining a heart-healthy diet is one of our best defenses against heart disease.

  • Increase the consumption of nutrition-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins, which help regulate cholesterol levels, blood pressure, weight, and inflammation—key factors in heart health. Discuss the benefits of the Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan with your healthcare provider.

  • Limit saturated fats, processed carbohydrates and meats, excess sodium, and added sugars.

• Exercise: Daily demands and busy routines often make exercising challenging, yet staying active helps to keep our hearts healthy, reduce stress, improve our mood, and help us sleep better.

  • The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity. Discuss with your healthcare provider the amount and type of exercise that is best for you.

  • The belief that a gym is necessary to begin a physically active lifestyle is a common barrier, but studies show that something as simple as walking can improve cardiovascular health. While 10,000 steps and 30 minutes per day should be the goal, studies have shown that walking 7,000 steps per day has a positive impact on your health. Every step and every minute count—something is better than nothing.

• Smoking & Alcohol: Quitting smoking and limiting or eliminating alcohol consumption can reduce the risk for heart disease.

  • Smoking has a negative effect on almost every organ in the body, including the heart and blood vessels. Even exposure to second-hand smoke can harm the cardiovascular system, and if you have other heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being overweight, smoking further raises the risk of heart disease. Discuss with your healthcare provider the programs and treatments available to help you quit smoking.

  • Excessive alcohol consumption can increase blood pressure, cause irregular heartbeat, increase triglycerides, and contribute to obesity. The AHA recommends moderate alcohol consumption, if at all.

• Reduce stress: Our mental health impacts our physical health, and chronic stress can increase our risk for heart disease and stroke. In addition to increasing blood pressure, excessive stress can lead to unhealthy habits such as increased alcohol consumption, smoking, overeating, not receiving adequate sleep, and skipping exercise.

  • There are a number of tips to minimize continual stress, including developing a positive mindset, practicing mindfulness, getting enough sleep, exercising, making time for friends and family, and developing an attitude of gratitude.

Screenings: Working with Your Medical Provider
According to the CDC, someone dies every 33 seconds from heart disease. Given how prevalent heart disease is in the U.S., the AHA recommends people should start receiving screening tests and risk assessments for heart disease at age 20.

Key screenings your healthcare provider may recommend to monitor your heart health include:

• Blood pressure: Elevated blood pressure greatly increases the risk of stroke and heart attack. An elevated blood pressure may not present any symptoms, so detection may only be possible when measured. In addition to medication, it may be possible to improve your blood pressure through lifestyle changes.

• Cholesterol: Especially if you have a family history of high cholesterol, you should begin to monitor your cholesterol levels early. A heart-healthy lifestyle can help manage cholesterol alongside medication.

• Blood glucose: High blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular complications.

• Body weight: Being overweight increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Your healthcare professional can help you determine what weight is best for you.

• Lifestyle: Healthcare professionals monitor areas such as diet, smoking and alcohol consumption, stress, and physical activity, and they provide recommendations and resources for changes.

You should take your heart health seriously; do not allow anything to prevent you from going to see your doctor if you are presenting symptoms, have a higher risk, or have a family history of heart disease—it is always worth getting a check-up.