While you may have frozen for a brief second reading that word, we can safely say that your heart didn’t. Our hearts work 24/7 to keep blood flowing through our bodies, providing our cells with oxygen and - hopefully - ensuring that we are able go about our days without an issue.
Unfortunately, our hearts are not impervious to health issues: 1 of every 4 deaths in America is due to heart disease. Worse, many people are not aware that heart disease is more than an age-related issue that affects the elderly. It’s a very serious problem that can affect anyone, at any age - if the right precautions aren’t taken.
With that in mind, and in honor of American Heart Month, we encourage each and every one of you to take a moment to consider what you can do to keep your own heart healthy and happy in the months to come.
Understanding Heart Problems: The Basics
Heart disease is incredibly common in the United States - in fact, it’s the country’s leading cause of death. The term heart disease refers to when the human body and cardiovascular system begins to suffer from diseased or narrowing vessels, and/or blood clots. As a result, heart disease can eventually lead to problems such as heart attack or congestive heart failure.
Why does this happen? In many cases, it happens because the right number of unhealthy habits came together in the wrong way. For example, smoking, elevated cholesterol, high blood pressure, being overweight, and living a sedentary lifestyle can all detract from our overall heart health and contribute to our risk of developing heart disease.
Heart Health: The Myths
Unfortunately, heart disease is more than a serious problem - it’s a misunderstood problem. Consider for a moment each of the following statements:
- You would know if you were developing heart problems.
- Men and women each suffer from heart disease in the same way.
- Younger individuals aren’t at risk of suffering from heart disease.
If you found yourself nodding in agreement when reading these, we’re sorry to say that that was the wrong reaction. None of these three statements are true.
Myths like these are much too commonplace, and sadly they often prevent individuals from getting the care they need when their hearts begin to suffer. This misinformation can also prevent people from taking the precautions they need to take to protect their heart health. Sadly, in either situation, there’s potential for another preventable case of heart disease to lead to another person becoming another heart disease related statistic.
Heart Health: Today, Tomorrow, And Beyond
Fortunately, while heart disease is a prevalent health problem, it’s not one that you’re doomed to live with! A healthy diet, regular exercise, and taking the right age-related action steps as laid out by the American Heart Association can help you keep your heart as happy and healthy as possible now and in the weeks and months to come.
Regular visits with your doctor will also allow you to catch the earliest symptoms of any heart problems, such as elevated blood pressure. Even better, thanks to the additional services of Genesis Medical’s own Genesis Cardiology Testing Center, you’ll be able to obtain a more complete picture of your heart health in our own offices.
Questions? Concerns? Contact your doctor to discuss your own health and heart needs during American Heart Month - the perfect time to show your heart some much needed love and attention.