Healthy Hearts This February
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America.
While heart disease affects more than 67 million Americans, most heart conditions and strokes are directly linked to uncontrolled high blood pressure (BP).
In fact, those with high blood pressure are four times more likely to die from a stroke, and three times more likely to die from heart disease.
A Snapshot: Blood Pressure in the U.S.
- Across the board, 1 in 3 Americans have high blood pressure.
- High blood pressure contributes to ~1,000 deaths/day.
- Only about HALF of people with high BP have their condition under control.
The good news? Even minor improvements to our blood pressure can have a major impact on our health.
Impact Of Positive Change
Recent research shows that reducing the average population systolic blood pressure by just 12-13 mmHg could reduce:
- Deaths associated with Strokes by 37%
- Coronary Heart Disease by 21%
- Deaths from Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) by 25%
- Deaths from ALL causes by 13%
According to the Office of Disease Prevention, you can make healthy changes to lower your risk of developing heart disease.
This is particularly important for those who already have heart disease as many cases are directly related to the patient’s lifestyle.
To Lower Your Risk, You Can:
- Watch your weight: weight gain and high Body Mass Index (BMI) are main drivers in increased risk for CVD.
- Quit smoking: If you don’t smoke, don’t start. If you do smoke, look into cessation programs and avoid secondhand smoke.
- Cholesterol matters: While there’s debate over the role of dietary cholesterol on heart health, blood cholesterol levels directly increase our risk for CVD.
- All things in moderation: If you drink alcohol, drink only in motivation. Avoid sugary and high-calorie drinks.
- Get active: Start and stick to an exercise program. If you don’t know where to start, check out this recent blog.
Join us this month of February as we aim to make Cardiovascular Disease a thing of the past.
If you need help finding exercises and activities that fit your lifestyle and abilities, contact us! Our PTs specialize in the science of movement, so who better to ask?
We accept most insurances and have 19 locations in the Northern Virginia area.
Did you know you have Direct Access* to Physical Therapy? No referral, no problem!
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