The heart is the center of our feelings and emotions, a sense of who we are. It is the first organ to function in our bodies; beating and pumping blood just 22 days post conception. At the end, it serves as one of the final sentinels of passing. Cardiovascular health and longevity are influenced by the lifestyles we pursue, the nutritional status of our parents at conception, the prenatal nutrition we and our mothers experience and our diet throughout life.
February is National Heart Month, a time to recognize the importance of the heart to our overall health and quality of life, a time to educate ourselves about activities, foods, and lifestyles that promote heart health.
Heart disease, in one of its many forms, is the biggest single cause of death in America today, responsible for some 700,000 deaths yearly. The death rate from cardiovascular disease increased from the 1920s to a peak of over 1 million deaths in 1978. Since that time, awareness, education and the increased practice of healthy lifestyles are responsible for reducing heart-related deaths by 30%. We have made great strides, but 700,000 deaths are too many, coming at an enormous cost to our health care system. We can do better by “Living a Heart Healthy Lifestyle.” This approach has shown huge positive results.
Nature’s Energy Nutraceuticals invites you to follow along as we serve up a weekly Heart Health article during the month of February, offering:
WEEK ONE
- The 4 “W”s of Heart Disease: The Who, What, Where and Why of Heart Disease
WEEK TWO
- The “BIG” Four: Diabetes, Hypertension, High Cholesterol and being Overweight
WEEK THREE
- The Risk and Benefits Matrix: Risk Relationships between Nutritional, Behavioral and Medical Issues
WEEK FOUR
- Age-Related Action Plans: Detailing “The Most Bang for the Buck” Nutritional, Diet, Exercise and Lifestyle Strategies relevant for your Group
Let’s get started on the way to sustainable health through Nutrition and Living a Heart-Healthy Lifestyle.