Wear Red on February 3rd to increase awareness of heart health and take extra steps each day to show

Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. The good news is you can do a lot to protect your heart and stay healthy.

Heart healthy living involves understanding your risk, making choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type. Coronary and other types of heart disease cause heart attacks, but by taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease and improve your overall health and well-being.

The first step toward heart health is understanding your risk of heart disease. Your risk depends on many factors, some of which can be changed and others that cannot. Two of the major risk factors for heart disease are high blood pressure (the force of your blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels) and high cholesterol (waxy, fat-like substance that’s found in all cells in your body). If either of these numbers is high, work with your healthcare provider to get it to a healthy range.

Choose one or more of the following activities to keep your heart healthy.

· Choose heart-healthy foods, such as fruits and vegetables, while limiting highly processed foods with saturated and trans fats and added sugars.

· Choose your drinks wisely – substitute water for sugary drinks to reduce calories.

· Manage Stress - an emotionally upsetting event, particularly one involving anger, can serve as a trigger for a heart attack or angina in some people. Stress can contribute to high blood pressure and other heart disease risk factors.

· Get regular physical activity. Be sure to talk with your healthcare provider before starting a regular activity program to ensure safety.

· Quit smoking - Smoking can raise your risk of heart disease and heart attack and worsen other heart disease risk factors.

· Get enough good quality sleep - Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. Not getting enough sleep or good, quality sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic health problems.

· Learn your health history – know your risks and talk to your family and doctor about your health history.

· Take medicines as directed – if you take medicine to treat high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, follow your doctor’s instructions carefully.

How can you or your organization increase awareness about cardiovascular disease? Wear Red on February 3, 2023, American Heart Month, and send a picture to nberosek@pphd.org or post it to our PWWC Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/PanhandleWorksiteWellnessCouncil/ to be placed in a drawing for a heart healthy gift basket. This initiative helps the nation come together, igniting a wave of red.

Deb Conklin with Scotts Bluff County Health Department shared why they promote Wear Red day with county employees, “With so many families being affected by heart disease, it hits close to home for several people. I think they want to remember and honor anyone who is fighting through this disease. It is such a simple way to show solidarity for those dealing with this issue and we have a great group of people who are willing to show their support by the simple act of wearing red!”

For additional information about worksite wellness, visit www.pphd.org/pwwc.html or call Nicole Berosek at 308-279-3496

The Panhandle Worksite Wellness Council is proudly part of Panhandle Public Health District. The Council specializes in supporting employers in the Panhandle region. We recognize that many employers support a diverse and remote workforce and offer innovative ways to overcome the challenge of working with a virtual team. We understand that many of our employers do not have full-time wellness resources and work to provide resources and training to make running a worksite wellness program as easy as possible.

Panhandle Public Health District is working together to improve the health, safety and quality of life for all who live, learn, work and play in the Panhandle. Our vision is that we are a healthier and safer Panhandle community.

Source: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/heart-healthy-living; https://medlineplus.gov/cholesterol.html; https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/infographic/hearthealth.htm