Heart Awareness Month

Heart Awareness Month

Heart health awareness is very important as heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Keeping a healthy heart can be done by exercising frequently, eating foods that are rich in nutrients, and maintaining a healthy weight for your body. Also, it is important to schedule regular check ups. Check ups can help someone find out their numbers such as, weight, BMI,  blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. Your health care provider can assist you in different ways to become healthier by creating an appropriate action plan.  The recommended amount of exercise is to get 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity. Also, changing up the workouts to incorporate muscle strengthening at least two days a week is important. Exercising reduces stress hormones that can put an extra burden on the heart. It lowers blood pressure, reduces inflammation of the body, and helps to maintain a healthy body weight.

Eating smart is a major component to having a healthy heart. It is ideal to stay away from  saturated fats (less healthy fats) and to eat more of the unsaturated fats (healthier fats). Saturated fats consist of fatty meat, fried foods, butter, palm oil, and processed foods. These types of foods can cause cholesterol build up in the arteries. LDL cholesterol is the bad type of cholesterol that can raise the risk of heart disease. However, unsaturated fats are foods such as avocados, nuts, seeds, legumes, olive oil, and fatty fish (salmon). These types of foods can raise HDL levels (the good kind of cholesterol). Adding fiber to the diet such as, whole grains, fruits, chia seeds, etc., can help lower cholesterol levels and blood pressure. 

Frequent medical check ups are crucial to our health. Healthcare providers help by measuring our weight, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels. Too much body fat in the abdomen area is known as visceral fat. Visceral fat is the fat that surrounds the liver and other organs in the abdomen, which can be detrimental to our health. It can make your heart work harder, so it is important to make sure to maintain a healthy weight for your body. Knowing your BMI, cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose numbers can help you and your healthcare provider figure out a healthy plan that is just right for your body. 

Cholesterol Number Chart  

Fasting Blood Glucose Number Chart  

Blood Pressure Level Chart 

Your numbers can always be changed with motivation and determination! For further information visit http://www.heart.org

References  

American Heart Association. What is Cardiovascular Disease? Retrieved from https:// www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease

Thanks for reading! Please check out the information below and have a great day!

Dale News 2021

Dale News Online Publication: February 2021

Dale News Board Members & Important Links:

Dale News Chief Editor & Correspondent, Isaiah Hilman-Smalls

== hilmin@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Faculty Advisor, Dr. Noel Holton Brathwaite

== brathwnh@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Chief Operating Officer & Lead Journalist, Kaitlyn Hand

== handkk@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Radio Show Host & Executive Reviewer, Matthew Martorana

== martmj5@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Executive Reporter, Dante Ciprano

== ciprdm3@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Lead Broadcaster, Adina Shahzhad

== shaha18@farmingdale.edu

Dale News Official Email

== dalenewsfsc@farmingdale.edu

Farmingdale State College Website

== https://www.farmingdale.edu/

Dale News Instagram

== https://www.instagram.com/fsc_dalenews/

Dale News Ultimate Mobile Link Experience

== https://bio.fm/dalenewsfsc

Believe in The DN

“In Passion We Trust.”