28 Ways To Love Your Heart For The 28 Days Of Heart Health Month | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Health Wellness

28 Ways To Love Your Heart For The 28 Days Of Heart Health Month

Make your health be your Valentine this year.

421
28 Ways To Love Your Heart For The 28 Days Of Heart Health Month
Amira Totah

February is American Heart Health Month. This is the perfect time for all of us to be more active, know the facts about heart disease and also spread awareness. For those who didn't already know, heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women so it's important to be educated and take steps towards better heart health. I've put together a list of facts and ways to make this February all about your heart!

National Wear Red Day.

This takes place on the first Friday in February! This year that just so happens to land on February 1st. This is all about raising awareness and bringing attention to the cause!

Exercise. 

I know not everyone has a lot of time for this and it's easier for others, but even walking a little extra some days can make a difference. Get motivated and push yourself! Exercising is one of the simplest ways of preventing heart disease.

Healthy eating. 

Our eating habits can play a big part in having heart problems. Take it slow and cut out the junk over a period of time, this way you grow to not like it anymore.

Getting checked regularly. 

Many people think that heart disease is only something that happens to people who are older and that is FALSE. It can happen to any person at any age, therefore it should be something we all get checked for during random stages of life. Also, not everyone experiences symptoms so this could save your life.

Know the signs of a heart attack. 

For most people the signs are chest pain or discomfort, upper body pain, weird feelings in your arms, legs, jaw or stomach, shortness of breath, cold sweats and nausea.

The number one killer of women.

Heart disease is the number one killer amongst women. This adding up to be more deadly than all forms of cancer combined.

Do yoga. 

It is proven that yoga can help lower your blood pressure because it slows down your heart rate. So for those who have high blood pressure, try yoga and see if it makes a difference!

Encourage the ones around you. 

If you have a family member who is stubborn about their health, make them get checked! You can try to guilt them into it if you have to but helping them can really make a difference of how long they are here with you.

Stop smoking. 

Smokers have more than twice the risk of having a heart attack than non-smokers. Everyone thinks nothing bad will happen to them (and I hope nothing does) but this one act can help expand your life dramatically.

Try to maintain a healthy weight. 

This goes hand in hand with exercise. Talk to your doctor about your weight and see if you are in the clear.

Laughing is good for your heart. 

Research shows that when you experience a good laugh, you increase your blood flow. This can have great positive effects on your health for as long as 24 hours!

Your heart works hard. 

The heart is the hardest working muscle in your body!

If you have diabetes you are at a higher risk. 

Diabetes can cause blood vessels to narrow or clog which increases the risk of heart attack (by double!) It is important to really pay attention to what you eat and monitor your health, especially when you have diabetes.

Most heart attacks happen on Monday's. 

The majority of heart attacks occur between 8 and 9 in the morning and on Mondays. (Weird stat, I know.)

Reduce stress. 

Stress leads to weight gain, a decrease in happiness and an increase in anxiety and depression, which are all key risk factors for heart disease.

Join an organization. 

Donate money to different organizations that are dedicated to raising awareness and doing research to find cures to different heart problems. Not only can you donate money, you can get involved, too!

Participate in a Heart Walk. 

The American Heart Association holds a heart walk every year in cities all across the country! This is a perfect way to get active and show your support for someone you know or maybe even someone you lost. Go to their website and see if there will be one at a location near you!

Adult hearts pump gallons. 

The average adult heart pumps over a gallon of blood per minute. This is enough to fill about 38,000 drinking glasses each day!

A broken heart is real.

Studies show that bad or sad news can actually increase your risk of having a heart attack. Death by broken heart?

Act F-A-S-T. 

F-A-S-T is an acronym used when you think someone is suffering from a stroke. It stands for,

F - Face drooping

A - Arm weakness

S - Speech difficulty, and

T - Time to call 9-1-1.

Knowing these symptoms can help save a life.

Take the pledge. 

Take the #MoveWithHeart pledge and encourage your friends and family to do it with you!

Go on an active date. 

Instead of going out for drinks, go on a hike or do something outside! This could be with friends or your loved ones! Get active and motivate the ones around you to do so as well.

Inform young kids. 

It's important to inform younger children about heart health! Teach them ways to protect their hearts and encourage them to be active.

Replace candy with fruit. 

If you are craving something sweet reach for some fruit instead of candy! If you are a chocolate person, try dark chocolate!

Dental hygiene. 

Having good dental hygiene can reduce your chances of having a heart attack or stroke by 50%. Something so easy can impact your health so much!

Eat red. 

There are some healthy red foods you can eat to stay in the theme! Tart cherries, tomatoes, beets, strawberries, kidney beans, red potatoes and red lentils!

Choose your birth control wisely. 

Females who are on birth control may have a doubled risk of stroke, especially if you already have high blood pressure. Talk with your doctor to make sure it's safe for you!

Do research. 

It's smart to look up all about heart disease! Educate yourself and be aware of signs and symptoms. Know ways to get involved to help the ones around you and yourself!

Maybe that was a lot to take in but just keep in mind that heart disease can easily be prevented if you take action! Spread the word and encourage others to take steps towards a healthier lifestyle!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

628
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

1977
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less
student thinking about finals in library
StableDiffusion

As this semester wraps up, students can’t help but be stressed about finals. After all, our GPAs depends on these grades! What student isn’t worrying about their finals right now? It’s “goodbye social life, hello library” time from now until the end of finals week.

1. Finals are weeks away, I’m sure I’ll be ready for them when they come.

Keep Reading...Show less
Christmas tree
Librarian Lavender

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Christmas is one of my personal favorite holidays because of the Christmas traditions my family upholds generation after generation. After talking to a few of my friends at college, I realized that a lot of them don't really have "Christmas traditions" in their family, and I want to help change that. Here's a list of Christmas traditions that my family does, and anyone can incorporate into their family as well!

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 5 Phases Of Finals

May the odds be ever in your favor.

2574
Does anybody know how to study
Gurl.com

It’s here; that time of year when college students turn into preschoolers again. We cry for our mothers, eat everything in sight, and whine when we don’t get our way. It’s finals, the dreaded time of the semester when we all realize we should have been paying attention in class instead of literally doing anything else but that. Everyone has to take them, and yes, unfortunately, they are inevitable. But just because they are here and inevitable does not mean they’re peaches and cream and full of rainbows. Surviving them is a must, and the following five phases are a reality for all majors from business to art, nursing to history.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments