February is American Heart Month. First proclaimed in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, American Heart Month began as a national call to take charge of your heart health—a mission that continues today.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. But you can do a lot to protect your heart and stay healthy. I’ve pulled some helpful information from the NIH. Check out this Take Action for Your Heart
Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type. By taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease that could lead to a heart attack. You can also improve your overall health and well-being.
Understanding Your Risk
The first step toward heart health is understanding your risk of heart disease. Your risk depends on many factors, some of which are changeable and others that are not. Risk factors are conditions or habits that increase a person’s likelihood of developing a disease. These risk factors may vary from person to person.
Risk Factors
Risk factors are listed below. Each risk factor increases your chance of developing heart disease. The more risks you have, the higher your overall risk.
- Have high blood pressure
- Have high blood cholesterol
- Have overweight or obesity
- Have prediabetes or diabetes
- Smoke
- Do not get regular physical activity
- Have a family history of early heart disease, for example if your father or brother was diagnosed before age 55, or your mother or sister was diagnosed before age 65
- Have a history of preeclampsia, which is a sudden rise in blood pressure and too much protein in the urine during pregnancy
- Have unhealthy eating behaviors
- Are age 55 or older for women or age 45 or older for men
Some risk factors cannot be changed. These include your age, sex, and a family history of early heart disease. Many others can be modified. For example, being more physically active and eating healthy are important steps for your heart health. You can make the changes gradually, one at a time. But making them is very important.
Women generally get heart disease about 10 years later than men do, but it’s still women’s #1 killer. After menopause, women are more likely to get heart disease, in part because estrogen hormone levels drop. Women who have gone through early menopause, either naturally or because they have had a hysterectomy, are twice as likely to develop heart disease as women of the same age who have not gone through menopause. Middle age is also a time when women tend to develop other risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure.
Preeclampsia, which is high blood pressure during pregnancy, raises your risk of developing coronary heart disease later in life. It is a risk factor that you can’t control. However, if you’ve had the condition, you should take extra care to monitor your blood pressure and try to lower other heart disease risk factors.
Image by Memed_Nurrohmad from Pixabay
Create a Plan with your Doctor
Risk factors such as high blood pressure or cholesterol generally don’t have obvious signs or symptoms. A crucial step in determining your risk is to see your provider for a thorough checkup and risk assessment. Your provider may use a risk calculator to estimate your risk of having a heart attack, having a stroke, or dying from a heart or blood vessel disease in the next 10 years or throughout your life.
Questions to Ask
It’s a great idea during your annual check-up to prepare questions to discuss during your visit. Some heart-related questions to consider are:
- What is my risk of developing heart disease?
- What is my blood pressure? What does it mean for me, and what do I need to do about it?
- What are my cholesterol numbers? What do they mean for me, and what do I need to do about them?
- What is my body mass index (BMI) and waist measurement? Do I need to lose weight for my health?
- What is my blood sugar level, and does it mean I’m at risk for diabetes?
- What other screening tests for heart disease do I need? How often should I return for checkups for my heart health?
- How can we work together to help me quit smoking?
- How much physical activity do I need to help protect my heart?
- What is a heart-healthy eating plan for me? Should I see a registered dietitian or qualified nutritionist to learn more about healthy eating?
- How can I tell when I’m having a heart attack?
Proactive Actions
During heart month, take some time to focus on your health and life itself. Being proactive doesn’t come naturally to everyone. As humans evolved, proactive behaviors stem from a survival instinct and the need to secure resources.
Proactive actions are viewed by behavioralists as learned and innate behaviors that are linked to improved mental health and resilience. We all avoid stuff (me too!), and we can learn ways to be more proactive.
It’s always a good time in my view to take proactive steps and plan for you and your loved ones. If you have questions about how to get started, please reach out. Pop me a note via Email or check out what I offer @ The Living Planner.
If you prefer a Zoom connect, Book a Time with Lynn for a complimentary 30-minute Zoom with me. If you’re one who likes to pre-plan, my book is a resource for you. The 2026 edition of Living Planner What to Prepare Now While You Are Living © is being printed! Check it out HERE.
Quote of the week: “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other.” — Audrey Hepburn I hope you all had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! Lynn
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