Tips to Stay Heart-Healthy

A HEALTHY YOU

Tips to Stay Heart-Healthy

February is American Heart Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease – the leading cause of death in the United States.

According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 697,000 people in the U.S. died from heart disease in 2021, accounting for 1 in every 5 deaths nationwide.

Heart Month 2025 is a month-long initiative focused on heart health and cardiovascular disease prevention. The goal is to educate individuals on the importance of maintaining a healthy heart and making lifestyle choices that support long-term cardiovascular well-being. Observed every February, American Heart Month promotes public awareness of heart disease and stroke, advocates for heart health policies, and helps fund critical research.

There are several ways to get involved and spread awareness:

Wear Red to support the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women movement, which aims to save women’s lives by increasing awareness of heart disease and stroke.
Share on Social Media using hashtags like #HeartMonth, #HeartHealth, #CardiovascularHealth, #HealthyHeart, and #PreventHeartDisease to help spread the message.
Get Screened for key health indicators, including blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol, and body mass index (BMI)—all of which play a role in heart health.

The statistics can vary slightly year to year, but the trend shows that heart disease remains a critical public health issue. Common causes include coronary artery disease (CAD), heart attacks, heart failure, and arrhythmias.

Preventing heart disease involves adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle and managing risk factors effectively.

Below are a few evidence-based cardiac disease prevention tips:

Adopt a Heart-Healthy Diet

Focus on a Mediterranean diet or DASH diet, rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains (brown rice, oats, quinoa), lean proteins (fish, poultry, beans, legumes) and healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocados. Limit Sodium (less than 2,300 mg/day and aim for 1,500 mg if at high risk), sugary foods and drinks and saturated and trans fats.

Stay Physically Active

Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., brisk walking, cycling) per week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (e.g., running, swimming). Add strength training at least twice per week if possible.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Excess weight, especially around the waist, increases the risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes, all of which contribute to heart disease. A healthy BMI is between 18.5–24.9, but waist circumference (under 35 inches for women, under 40 inches for men) is also critical.

Other strategies include quitting smoking and avoid secondhand smoke as smoking damages blood vessels, increases plaque buildup, and raises the risk of heart attacks and manage blood pressure as high blood pressure (hypertension) is a leading cause of heart disease.

Aim to keep your blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg and control cholesterol levels. Reduce LDL (“bad” cholesterol) and raise HDL (“good” cholesterol) through diet, exercise, and medication if necessary. Avoiding foods high in saturated fats and trans fats will support your cholesterol maintenance. Decrease stress as much as possible as stress has been linked to cardiac risk.

Additional Resource

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Provides information on heart health and healthy living.

About the Author

Cynthia Conigliaro is the Sales and Marketing Director for Organizational Wellness and Learning Systems (OWLS), a consulting firm focused on employee emotional wellbeing and organizational culture analysis. For almost five years she has worked alongside the owner of OWLS to design and implement mental health related employee wellness trainings and workshops for organizations across the United States.

For almost 15 years she has had her own health and wellness coaching business. Cynthia works with individuals and groups and runs virtual and in person workshops for employees on a variety of health and wellness topics relating to both physical and mental health. She is an Infinite Possibilities Certified Trainer and a Resilience and Life Coach. She has been a volunteer with the Worksite Wellness Council of Massachusetts (WWCMA) for the past 4 years where she sits on both the Programs Committee and the Marketing Committee. Cynthia has her Master of Social Work and her Master of Business Administration from Boston College and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Spanish from College of the Holy Cross.

A HEALTHY YOU