February is American Heart Month!

Since 1963, February has been celebrated as American Heart Month to urge Americans to join the battle against heart disease. Since 2004, February also has been the signature month for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign, emphasizing heart disease is not only prevalent in men but women too (Heart.org, 2012). February 5th, 2016 is National Wear Red Day!

As the leading cause of death in the United States, responsible for over 600,000 deaths in 2013, Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) is a major concern for many Americans. It is caused by the buildup of plaque inside your arteries, also referred to as the hardening of the arteries. As the plaque builds up, there is less room for blood, carrying oxygen, to pass and circulate through the rest of the heart and body (CDC, 2013; Mayo Clinic, 2014).

A major contributing factor to the surge in CHD in the U.S. in recent years is due to the obesity rate in our country. Research shows that high levels of certain fats and cholesterol and high levels of sugar due to diabetes are responsible for damaging the inner layers of the coronary arteries, leading to blood vessel inflammation and CHD. Sometimes, the plague can build up and eventually break off or rupture, causing blood platelets to rush to the site and begin clotting. This clotting further blocks the blood flow through the artery and can even block the artery completely, resulting in a heart attack (NHLBI-NIH, 2015).

Today, the United States leads the world with approximately one-third of its population being classified as obese. Due to the epidemic of obesity in our country, we are also seeing increasing numbers in CHD. As our diets become less healthy and we consume more cholesterol, fats and sugar, our arteries are damaged at a much younger age. Low-density lipids, also considered the “bad” cholesterol have been liked to increased risk of CHD. However, high-density lipids, also considered the “good” cholesterol, have been shown to help remove cholesterol from the artery walls. Routine blood tests can track these levels and alert your doctor of any abnormalities (US News, 2014; NHLBI-NIH, 2015). Some other risk factors include: smoking, stress, lack of exercise, gender and age.

The good news is most of this damage is reversible or at least reducible. A change in diet and regularly exercise can help cut down on the plaque buildup and therefore, reduce your risk of CHD. There are even some medications to help reduce your risk (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Talk to your doctor or nutritionist if you have concerns about yourself or a loved one.



So on February 5th, 2016, wherever you are, whatever you are doing, WEAR RED!