Here’s how SC residents can protect their health during American heart month
Not only is Valentine’s Day today, but February is also American heart month.
Have you been prioritizing your cardiovascular health?
Many U.S. citizens don’t realize the importance of prioritizing their heart health or the habits with their daily lifestyles that may be increasing their risk of developing a cardiovascular disease.
Heart disease was the leading cause of death in America with 696,962 deaths in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The 2020 mortality rate of heart disease was over twice that of COVID-19 in the beginning year of the pandemic, which the CDC reported as causing 350,831 deaths.
In fact, one person dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease in the United States.
Heart disease was the leading cause of death in South Carolina in 2020, according to the S.C. Department of Public Health and Environmental Control. During that year, 11,386 South Carolinians died from heart disease. Also, heart disease accounted for 75,886 hospitalizations in the state in 2020 for a total cost of $6.8 billion.
Several examples of health disease may include coronary artery disease, angina, congestive heart failure, heart attacks and high blood pressure.
The CDC reported that Coronary heart disease is the most common type of heart disease in the country, which killed 382,820 people in 2020.
In addition, about 20.1 million adults aged 20 years old and older have Coronary Artery Disease. This equals to about 7.2%.
This is a much lower age than many adults have been led to believe, with a majority of individuals believing that heart disease, among others, only occurs later in life.
As for heart attacks, someone in the U.S. has a heart attack every 40 seconds and every year, about 805,000 people have a heart attack, according to CDC statistics. Of these, 605,000 are a first heart attack and about one in five heart attacks are silent— the damage is done, but the person is not aware of it.
What increases the chance of developing a cardiovascular disease?
Many day-to-day habits can contribute to heart disease without the individual even knowing about it. This is why discovering these habits early on can help in preventing cardiovascular issues.
Some behaviors that may increase your risk of heart disease, according to the CDC, include:
High fat/cholesterol/sodium diets: Continuing to maintain a diet high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol has been linked to heart disease and having high salt (sodium) intake in your diet risks raising an individual’s blood pressure.
Alcohol: Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure levels and up the risk for heart disease. The CDC reports that women should have no more than one drink a day and men should have no more than two drinks a day.
Tobacco use: Using tobacco increases the risk for heart disease and a heart attack. Smoking cigarettes can damage the heart and blood vessels, nicotine can raise your blood pressure, carbon monoxide from cigarette smoke will reduce the amount of oxygen that your blood can carry and exposure to secondhand smoke for smokers and nonsmokers alike can also increase the risk for heart disease.
Physical activity: Not getting enough physical activity can lead to heart disease as well as an increased chance of having other medical conditions, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.
How to avoid developing heart disease?
Are you looking to boost your heart health?
Here are seven ways that the Mayo Clinic recommends to help you decrease your chances of developing a cardiovascular disease.
1. Don’t smoke or use tobacco. If you’re a previous or current user of cigarettes, the risk of heart disease will start to decline as little as just a day after quitting. After a year, the risk of heart disease will drop to about half that of a current smoker.
2. Regular physical activity. Try to aim for at least 30 to 60 minutes of daily activity.
3. Eat a heart-healthy diet. A heart-healthy diet can help protect your heart, improve your blood pressure and cholesterol, and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. A heart-healthy eating plan includes:
Vegetables and fruits
Beans or other legumes
Lean meats and fish
Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods
Whole grains
Healthy fats, such as olive oil
To follow a heart-healthy eating plan, try to limit:
Salt (sodium)
Sugar
Processed carbohydrates
Alcohol
Saturated fat (found in red meat and full-fat dairy products) and trans fat (found in fried fast food, chips, baked goods)
4. Maintain a healthy diet. Being overweight will increase the risk of heart disease in an individual. If you’re unsure where you stand, a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 25 or higher is what makes an individual considered to be overweight.
5. Get quality sleep. Most adults need at least seven to eight hours of sleep each night. If you routinely don’t get enough sleep, you have a higher risk of obesity, high blood pressure, heart attack, diabetes and depression.
6. Prioritize managing your stress. Some unhealthy coping mechanisms for stress, such as overeating, drinking or smoking, can be detrimental to your health. Alternative ways to manage your stress, such as physical activity or relaxation exercises can help improve your health. Other stress relievers, such as reading, journaling, social interaction, etc, are also good coping mechanisms to choose from that will not negatively impact your overall health.
7. Remember to get regular health screenings. Getting tested regularly for health concerns, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or Type 2 Diabetes, are great ways to help get ahead of potential health risks or take necessary actions if something does come from the screenings.
Resources to help you prioritize your heart health
This story was originally published February 14, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Here’s how SC residents can protect their health during American heart month."
