According to National Health Observances, February is designated as American Heart Month.  Not because it’s Valentine’s Day on February 14th, but because as a country, there are different health observances that we try to recognize by encouraging and educating ourselves and by empowering people to better health!

Heart disease is the leading cause of death here in the United States.  1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease yearly and unfortunately, I myself fall into the statistics of heart disease.  BUT……the good thing about it, I’ve survived it, I’m managing it and am doing great!  Take some time and read an earlier blog I posted a year or so ago called “Matters of the Heart” relating to my story of heart disease.

How we can help?  It’s easy.

• Go to your local Red Cross and take CPR classes and donate – whether it’s donating blood, your time or financially.
• If you’re a smoker, quit smoking!  It can be done, believe me.  Your heart will love you for it.
• Heart healthy eating habits.  Tons and tons of reliable FREE information to read  online, and many books and articles regarding eating heart healthy meals.
• Educate yourself about high cholesterol, high or low blood pressures, strokes and heart diseases and its many signs and symptoms, which are just some of the leading causes of heart disease.

As I often mention in my blogs, there is so much out here at our disposal to educate our own selves about our health.  We can begin by utilizing the Internet by reading and educating ourselves for free!!  It’s that simple.  Prevent becoming a statistic.  Help others by donating whatever you feel you can donate – your blood, your time, your knowledge, your resources – that others may not be privy to.