We here at the American Heart Association are always looking for opportunities to pass along stats, facts and other tidbits that are memorable, sharable and, of course, helpful when it comes to improving your heart health. Our mission, after all, is to build healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.
Those messages – and the sharing thereof – will help us make that mission a reality. So, here are some cool nuggets of info to remember and share with your loved ones:
Sodium: High sodium (salt) intake can raise your blood pressure, putting you at risk for a number of cardiovascular ailments. Limit yourself to 1,500 mg per day. Sodium levels tend to run high in many canned and frozen foods that may otherwise be branded as "healthy." Read the labels.
Drink debate: Juice is not always a good alternative to soda. Twelve ounces of regular soda contains, on average, 10 teaspoons of sugar and 150 calories. Twelve ounces of the average orange juice contains ten teaspoons of sugar and 170 calories. Again, read the labels and look for 100 percent juice.
Drink debate, II: If you're looking for a good alternative to juice and soda, you can never go wrong with water.
Hands-Only CPR: If a teenager or adult suddenly collapses, call 9-1-1. Then, using both hands (one on top of the other, palms down), press hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the Bee Gee's song Stayin' Alive. Seriously.
Speaking of CPR: AHA researchers developed cardiopulmonary resuscitation back in 1960.
Tipping the scales: According to a recent CDC report, Alabama's obesity rate is the fourth highest in the nation. The most obese age group in Alabama: 18 to 24 year-olds.
Defining a "healthy diet": The AHA defines a healthy diet as (1) consuming five cups of fruits and veggies daily, (2) eating foods rich in whole grains, (3) consuming fish (un-fried) at least twice per week and (4) limiting your intake of saturated fats, sodium and sugar.
How much exercise is enough: The AHA recommends 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise (i.e., brisk walking) per week.
We've been around for a long while: The American Heart Association was founded in 1924.
Heart disease claims more than 813,000 lives each year and is the No. 1 killer of all Americans.
Billion, with a "B": The American Heart Association has funded more than $3.3 billion in research since 1949.