How You Can Get Involved During American Heart Awareness Month

In February, love is in the air. It’s the second month of the year, and we’re all tossing and turning ideas in our minds about what to buy our significant other for Valentine’s Day, the day of love. It’s the day every couple wakes up and confesses their undying love for each other, pouring their hearts out to them as if it were the last day on Earth. The day before and the day after, perfectly normal days. But February 14? Oh no, that day is for strictly reserved for the heart.

The heart.

The heart itself is “a hollow muscular organ of vertebrate animals that by its rhythmic contraction acts as a force pump maintaining the circulation of the blood,” according to Dictionary.com. And February, with all its love and happily ever afters on February 14, seems like the perfect month to talk about American Heart Week Awareness.

American Heart Week Awareness is very important because, without a beating heart, your life will end. Heart disease is “the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States. Every year, 1 of 4 deaths are caused by heart disease,” according to healthfindergov.com. The thing is, heart disease can often be prevented, by watching what you eat and exercising regularly. Use less salt on your dinner and more spices, even just by taking a quick, brisk walk around a few blocks to get the blood flowing can help prevent heart disease. Quit smoking, and start breathing fresh air again.

There are various types of heart conditions.

1. Coronary Artery Disease
2. Heart Attack
3. Cardiomyopathy
4. Stroke
5. High Cholesterol
6. Aortic Aneurysm
7. High Blood Pressure
8. Pulmonary Hypertension

If you would like to know more about heart disease, or any of these particular conditions, you may visit https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/about.htm, and it will provide you with links to learn more about each individual heart condition.

However, if you want to get involved in preventing heart disease and maybe save a few lives while you’re at it, you can do these things:

1. Celebrate National Wear Red Day to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Encourage everyone in your community to wear red on February 1. Visit Go Red for Women for more information.
2. Host an American Heart Month event at a local school, health center, or library.
   Work with local recreation and fitness centers to spread the word about the importance of physical activity to prevent heart disease.
3. Contact your local Red Cross to host a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) training event in your community. Urge local community members to learn CPR and AED (automated external defibrillator). These skills can help save the life of someone who has sudden cardiac arrest.
4. Host a 20-minute group walk around your office at lunchtime.
5. Conduct a cooking demonstration using a heart-healthy recipe.
6. Follow CDC’s Million Hearts® on Facebook and Twitter to learn more about heart disease and stroke prevention.

By doing any and all of these things, you will be able to bring awareness to the number one leading cause of death in the United States.