Creating Awareness for Heart Disease is Everyone’s Job

February is the designated American Heart Disease Awareness Month

Heart disease is an indiscriminate assassin in our society. In fact, it ranks number one in leading causes for death in the United States. The culprit goes beyond unhealthy diets and genetical predisposition. The busy lifestyle of many individuals and their families often leads to stagnant after-work or after-school activities that don’t help them take control over their health.

Medical studies have shown how salty products and processed foods have also contributed to a growing concern over heart disease. Fast food is often the most accessible to busy people. And fast food is commonly preserved with salt, leading to high content of sodium, which in turn can increase blood pressure—as well as causing the human body to hold on to fluid, rather than flushing it out of the body.

A wide range of cardiovascular conditions are related to a high-sodium diet, which is quite common in the United States. With this in mind, here are some preventive measures for reducing the potential for heart disease:

  • Consider changing salt for spices—you  will have plenty more choices and spices will keep you meals interesting and exciting
  • Exercise regularly since it is proven that 20 minutes of exercise a day can severely reduce many common threats to human health
  • Become more educated about the challenge of heart disease and many more preventive measures
  • Talk to your doctor and get tested for any blood levels that can potentially uncover future heart disease or related conditions

Another helpful step is to explore the weather of resources available in websites such as the American Heart Association (www.heart.org) and The Heart Foundation (www.theheartfoundation.org). Both of these offer access to information, prevention details, and other medical resources.

Now that you are aware, MyMRI wants to remind you that prevention is the best solution to any of our body’s ailments. Without prevention, we will be forced to spend more time, money and personal resources dealing with the bad decisions of earlier years.

So, don’t forget to be smart now and work hard to stay healthy later—your family and friends will appreciate it!