Brooksville’s Vice Mayor Robert Battista introduced February as American Heart Month at the February 5th City Council Meeting. The proclamation sets aside the month as a time to educate everyone about the risks of heart disease. American Heart Month began in 1963 to urge Americans to battle heart disease by adopting a healthy diet and lifestyle.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, claiming more lives than all forms of cancer combined. The most common form of heart disease in the US is coronary artery disease (CAD) , and its most common risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure (hypertension), high cholesterol (hypercholesterolemia), obesity and poor nutrition.
In 2004, the American Heart Association kicked off its Go Red For Women campaign, bringing awareness that heart disease is not only a man’s problem.
Ashley Thomas of the Florida Department of Health in Hernando county, thanked the county and spoke about steps that can be taken to reduce the risk of heart disease:
Add exercise to your daily routine, even if it just taking walks with family and friends.
Schedule a visit with your doctor to talk about your heart health.
Increase healthy eating, and cooking heart-healthy meals.
Take steps to quit smoking by utilizing the Tobacco Free Florida’s “Quit Your Way” program.
American Heart Association: http://www.heart.org
Tobacco Free Florida: www.tobaccofreeflorida.com