February is Heart Health Awareness Month! There are plenty of ways to get involved and spread awareness in support of February and heart health throughout the year.
Heart disease and complications are one of the most widespread and complicated health challenges in the United States and around the world. Cardiovascular disease accounts for more than 860,000 deaths in the United States in 2017. Cardiovasuclar disease is the leading cause of death, killing 17.9 million every year. This is a number that is expected to grow paset 23.6 million by 2030. 80 percent of these deaths are from heart attacks and strokes affecting low and middle income countries.
In the United States, more than 126 million people had some form of cardiovascular disease within the past 5 years. Nearly 59 percent of non-Hispanic Black females and 60 percent of non-Hispanic Black males have a form of cardiovascular disease. The costs of heart stroke and disease were estimated to be more than $200 billion between 2016 and 2017.
Many risk factors for heart disease can be modified. This includes poor diet, lack of physical activity, and smoking. In the US, the death rate of cardiovascular disease decreased by 18.6 percent between 2006 and 2018 according to the American Heart Association.
These facts prove that heart disease awareness and action needs to be taken seriously. February is awareness month for heart health in the United States. One day is set aside as National Wear Red Day to raise awareness for heart disease. World Heart Day is in September.
American Heart Health Month is February
This is the biggest push for cardiovascular health awareness. This year each day of the week has a theme.
- #SelfcareSunday Dedicate sometime to create a self care checklist and engage in those activities.
- #MindfulMonday Know your blood pressure and heart stats.
- #TastyTuesday Enjoy a healthy and heart friendly meal.
- #WellnessWednesday Get your heart into a wellness routine. Exercise and eat healthy!
- #TreatYourselfThursday Have fun and relax today!
- #FollowFriday Share who inspires you to live a healthy lifestyle
- #SelfieSaturday Post a selfie with your favorite way to care for your heart
Share these ideas and hashtags on social media or with friends and family in order to promote heart health awareness!
Heart Failure Awareness Is February 14th to 20th, 2021
The week of Valentine’s Day is Heart Failure Awareness Week, organized by the Heart Failure Society of America. This week features advertising campaigns to help people recognize signs of heart failure. Getting heart related screenings and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are ways to promote heart heath awareness. Follow the hashtag #HFChat2021, as well as an Innovations Countdown on social media from Monday, February 15th to Friday February 19.
World Heart Day is September 29
Although it is far away, the World Heart Federation, unites many people around the world on World Heart Day to spread awareness of heart health. If you or your community would like to take part in this organization, there are resources to share in person and on social media.
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