National Have a Heart Day

National Have a Heart Day is observed annually on February 14th. This event helps raise awareness of our food choice to have a healthy heart.

History of National Have a Heart Day

Along with regular exercise, making healthy food choices is essential for good heart health. Penn Cardiac Care offers a few tips: find a heart-healthy menu in the UPHS cafeteria next Wednesday, or take the initiative to try new foods that suit you and your heart.

Heart disease claims more lives than the next four most common causes of death combined. On average, an American dies of heart disease every 35 seconds.

National One Heart Day helps raise awareness about our food choices to get or maintain a healthy heart. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Cardiovascular disease is a major cause of death in the United States; one in three deaths is due to heart disease and stroke." Eating is important, however, how much you eat is more important. The serving size for pasta is 1/2 cup or the size of a hockey puck and meat is 2-3 ounces or the size and depth of a deck of cards.

Some foods that are ideal for a healthy heart include: salmon, flaxseeds, oatmeal, almonds/walnuts, blueberries, black or kidney beans, and soybeans.

How to celebrate National Have a Heart Day

The best way to celebrate this day is to learn more about the risks and ways to prevent heart disease and stroke. Use the hashtag # NationalHaveAHeartDay or #HaveAHeartDay to share on social media. Here are some signs that the CDC says you may be at risk for heart disease.

1. High blood pressure. There are millions of people in the United States with high blood pressure, and millions of them are young in their 40s and 50s. If you're one of them, make sure it's under control.

2. High cholesterol, diabetes and obesity are all conditions that can increase your risk of heart disease. If you're in this group, eat healthy and be physically active a few times a week.

3. Smoking. More than 35 million adults in the US smoke and thousands of young people are doing it every day. If you are a smoker, do your best to quit or cut back. That's what's best for your health.

So if you want to stay healthy and try to avoid your risk of heart disease, there are a few things you can do. Don't smoke and if you are already a smoker, do your best to quit. The next step you can take is to control any conditions you may have such as high blood pressure and cholesterol. Take medicine exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Next, make heart-healthy dietary decisions. Eat whole foods that are low in trans fats, saturated fats, sodium, and added sugars. A general rule of thumb is to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. Finally, let's move! Living a sedentary lifestyle puts you at a much higher risk of heart disease. Try to get in at least 20 minutes of physical activity 4-5 days a week, then build from there!