As the month of February begins, it is important to recognize that it is Heart Health Awareness month. During February, people are encouraged to create and stick to healthy habits in order to focus on their cardiovascular health.
For Dana Delellis, Mount Pleasant High School senior, a healthy diet paired with activity is prominent in her lifestyle.
“I typically exercise a lot and eat lots of vegetables,” Delellis said. “I also avoid a high fat diet.”
Heart disease is a risk that most people know about, but often ignore the significance to one’s health. There are many different heart conditions that can impact both men and women’s lives. Stroke, high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, and rheumatic heart disease are a few examples of heart conditions that many Americans are diagnosed with.
“Every year, about 647,000 Americans die from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death in the United States,” said Jen Thomas, Healthline Writer.
Luckily, there are habits that you can incorporate into your everyday life that can greatly decrease your chances of getting heart disease. Some of these habits include staying active, eating a well balanced diet, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and managing your stress levels.
Rashad Cormier, a freshman at Mount Pleasant, added that he has improved his lifestyle habits, which have had a positive affect on his life.
“Recently I’ve been getting a lot more exercise,” Cormier said. “I have also been more social which has been very helpful.”
School, homework, extracurricular activities, making time for friends/family, and other activities can create quite a hectic schedule for highschool students. Although it can sometimes seem difficult to make time to prioritize heart health, it is extremely beneficial to one’s health. Seeing the doctor regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and avoiding smoking/alcohol are a few additional habits that are spectacular to follow.
Izzy Hicks, a freshman at Mount Pleasant, makes time for heart healthy activities even with a busy schedule.
“I stay very hydrated throughout the day,” Hicks said. “I always avoid smoking and alcohol. I am also very active with dance practice for the upcoming musical.”
