(Feb. 19, 2018) -- The month of February is the time of year when sweethearts let their feelings be known on Valentine’s Day and when the stock car racing world kicks off its new season in Daytona Beach, Florida.
February is also American Heart Month.
Dr. Jason Cormier, founder of the Motorsports Safety Group, reminds each of us that heart disease doesn’t happen just to senior citizens. It is happening to younger adults more and more often. This is partly because the conditions that lead to heart disease are happening at younger ages. February is Heart Month, the perfect time to learn about your risk for heart disease and the steps you need to take now to help your heart.
Heart disease—and the conditions that lead to it—can happen at any age. High rates of obesity and high blood pressure among younger people (ages 35-64) are putting them at risk for heart disease earlier in life. Half of all Americans have at least one of the top three risk factors for heart disease (high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking).
You Could Be at Risk
Many of the conditions and behaviors that put people at risk for heart disease are appearing at younger ages:
High blood pressure. Millions of Americans of all ages have high blood pressure, including millions of people in their 40s and 50s. About half of people with high blood pressure don’t have it under control. Having uncontrolled high blood pressure is one of the biggest risks for heart disease and other harmful conditions, such as stroke.
High blood cholesterol. High cholesterol can increase the risk for heart disease. Having diabetes and obesity, smoking, eating unhealthy foods and not getting enough physical activity can all contribute to unhealthy cholesterol levels.
Smoking. More than 37 million U.S. adults are current smokers, and thousands of young people start smoking each day. Smoking damages the blood vessels and can cause heart disease.
Other conditions and behaviors that affect your risk for heart disease include:
Obesity. Carrying extra weight puts stress on the heart. More than 1 in 3 Americans—and nearly 1 in 6 children ages 2 to 19—have obesity.
Diabetes. Diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood. This can damage blood vessels and nerves that help control the heart muscle. Nearly 1 in 10 people in the United States has diabetes.
Physical inactivity. Staying physically active helps keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. Only 1 in 5 adults meets the physical activity guidelines of getting 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity.
Unhealthy eating patterns. Most Americans, including children, eat too much sodium (salt), which increases blood pressure. Replacing foods high in sodium with fresh fruits and vegetables can help lower blood pressure. But only 1 in 10 adults is getting enough fruits and vegetables each day. Diet high in trans-fat, saturated fat and added sugar increases the risk factor for heart disease.
4 Ways to Take Control of Your Heart Health
You’re in the driver’s seat when it comes to your heart. Learn how to be heart healthy at any age.
Don’t smoke. Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States. If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, learn how to quit.
Manage conditions. Work with your health care team to manage conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. This includes taking any medicines you have been prescribed. Learn more about preventing and managing high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Make heart-healthy eating changes. Eat food low in trans-fat, saturated fat, added sugar and sodium. Try to fill at least half your plate with vegetables and fruits, and aim for low sodium options. Learn more about how to reduce sodium.
Stay active. Get moving for at least 150 minutes per week. You can even break up the 30 minutes into 10-minute blocks. Learn more about how to get enough physical activity.
What is American Heart Month?
American Heart Month is a federally designated event. The first American Heart Month, which took place in February 1964, was proclaimed by President Lyndon B. Johnson via Proclamation 3566 on December 30, 1963. The Unities States Congress, by joint resolution on that date, has requested the President to issue annually a proclamation designating February as American Heart Month. At that time, more than half the deaths in the U.S. were caused by cardiovascular disease.
While American Heart Month is a federally designated month in the United States, it’s important to realize that cardiovascular disease knows no borders. Cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, remains the leading global cause of death with more than 17.9 million deaths each year. That number is expected to rise to more than 23.6 million by 2030.
Chances are, we all know someone affected by heart disease and stroke, because about 2,300 Americans die of cardiovascular disease each day, an average of 1 death every 38 seconds. But together we can change that.
The biggest part of living healthy comes down to simply making healthy choices. While you can’t change things like age and family history, the good news is that even modest changes to your diet and lifestyle can improve your heart health and lower your risk by as much as 80 percent.
Motorsports Safety Group is the collaboration of forward thinking minds geared toward continuing efforts that serve to foster improvements in the safety of racing. The goals of Motorsports Safety Group embody the interests of the group and its partners, ensuring the safety and health of racing teams and their loyal following.
Dr. Cormier crafted this strategic partnership with the ARCA Safety Initiative Program to form a “Motorsports Healthcare Education Plan,” a high profile, interactive activation designed to reach millions of race fans throughout the country. Motorsports Safety Group, with now an international presence, look forward to a long-term relationship with the ARCA racing family.
