Show Your Heart Some Love

“Seeing red” is usually a bad thing, but not in February, when we celebrate American Heart Month, punctuated by National Wear Red Day on February 7.

Heart Month is a big deal, even beyond healthcare circles, because your heart health is a big deal. The heart is the engine that makes our bodies go, and if it isn’t healthy, you aren’t healthy. Wearing red on February 7 and creating awareness the entire month is a purposely unsubtle reminder to take proper care of the most important muscle in your body.

How do you do that?

First, know your risk. Get your cholesterol and blood pressure checked regularly. And take a free heart health risk assessment at this link on the Bolivar Medical Center website.

Second, eat healthy: Eat more vegetables and less red meat and processed foods. Limit your intake of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and salt. An unhealthy diet can cause high cholesterol and high blood pressure, which are often precursors to heart disease.

Third, dump your vices. Stop or never start smoking and limit your alcohol intake. Smoking and alcohol can contribute to heart disease and several other maladies.

Fourth, stress less. Stress can raise blood pressure and increase the risk of heart disease. Learn to manage or mitigate stressors in your life.

Fifth, be active. Your heart is a muscle, and muscles need to be worked to work properly. Try to get at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day.

Finally, talk to your doctor. Ask your doctor what you can do to keep your cholesterol and blood pressure in a healthy range. Bolivar Medical Center practitioners get to know you as a total person, help coordinate your healthcare, and guide you toward your best possible health, starting with your heart. If you don’t have a doctor, you can find a primary care provider here.

Heart disease is serious – some might say, as serious as a heart attack. It is the number one cause of death in this country and in the world. Heart Month encourages us to take the necessary steps to prevent heart disease or slow or reverse its progress.

Our team at Bolivar Medical Center will be wearing red to support everyone’s journey toward better heart health. And if that journey goes awry, our emergency services team is ready to get you back on track.