FEBRUARY IS NATIONAL HEART MONTH!

February is National Heart Health Month and it’s designed to promote awareness to Americans that heart disease is the Number 1 killer of men and women in the U.S. Lifestyle changes are the number one way to decrease your risk of heart disease. Making small changes and being aware of important lab test numbers can help reduce your risk of heart disease.

Lifestyle Changes

Healthy habits like exercising and eating healthy can help you reduce your risk for developing a heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure or high cholesterol. Follow these steps for a healthy heart.

• Eat a nutritious balanced diet that is low in fat and high in fiber.
• Attain and maintain a healthy weight. A 10% weight loss can decrease the risk for heart disease tremendously.
• Minimize the amount of cholesterol, total fat, saturated fat and trans fat you eat daily.
• Remember, total fat intake should be 25-30% or less of your total calorie intake; saturated fat intake less than 7-10%; and trans fat 1% or less of your total calorie intake.
• Eat more fruits, vegetables, beans, bread, cereal, oats and pasta. These are nutritious, high in fiber, free of cholesterol and low in fat and rich in antioxidants that are heart protective.
• Do not smoke or reduce your exposure to second hand smoke.
• Get Fit! Exercise regularly most days of the week.
• Eat less protein (4 to 6 ounces per day of lean meat, fish, poultry and no more than 3 eggs per week).
• Be sure to consume fish at least twice a week, especially those high in omega 3-Fatty Acids (tuna, herring, salmon and mackerel).

In addition to making lifestyle changes, being aware of important lab numbers and getting them checked is beneficial to your health. You should get your cholesterol checked annually.

- Total Cholesterol – Less than 200 mg/dL
- LDL (bad) Cholesterol – less than 100 – Optimal
- 100-129 – Above Optimal
- 130-159 – Borderline High
- 160 and Over – High
- HDL (good) Cholesterol – 50 mg/dL or higher
- Triglycerides – Less than 150 mg/dL
- Blood Pressure - 120/80 or lower - Normal
- 120-139/80-89 – Pre-hypertension
- 140-159/90-99 – Stage 1 Hypertension
- 160/100 and Over – Stage 2 Hypertension
- Exercise - Minimum of 30 minutes most days of the week, if not all days.

Remember, eat healthy, exercise often and be heart healthy!

Information is from the American Heart Association. For more information on this topic call Mandy G. Armentor, MS, RD, LDN, Assoc. Extension Agent (FCS-Nutrition), with the Vermilion Parish LSU AgCenter Office at 1105 W. Port St. in Abbeville or call 898-4335.