February: American Heart Month

Start Making Heart Healthy Lifestyle Choices To Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

February is the month for hearts. From Valentine’s Day bringing pink and red heart-shaped everything to stores, offices, and restaurants all over the country to the month being declared American Heart Month, this is a great time to think about one of your body’s most important organs.

Focusing on your heart is important because cardiovascular disease is the top killer of both men and women in the United States. Fortunately, cardiovascular disease is also largely preventable through lifestyle changes. To help you on the path to prevention, here are a few things you can do to keep your heart healthy.

• Stop smoking immediately. Moderate your drinking. Men are advised to stick to two drinks or fewer per day, and women should limit their drinks to one. These vices will increase your risk for disease.
• Examine what you are eating. Work to cut out foods that are processed, high in sodium, and high in saturated fats. Replace them with fresh produce. Try to consume a balanced diet of local, healthy food.
• Commit yourself to getting moving for at least thirty minutes a day. If running on the treadmill is miserable to you, you do not have to do it! Find a kind of cardio you enjoy (even walking counts!) so that you will be able to stick to it.
• Have your blood pressure and cholesterol checked. Your healthcare provider will of course be able to get these numbers for you, but if you are feeling more philanthropic (and less like an office visit) you can also get this information by donating blood.

Contact Robert J. Los Insurance Agency in Hamburg, New York for all of your insurance needs. We are here to get you the best policies at the best prices, and are here to guide you on the path to securing the best coverage for yourself and your family. Call us today!