Heart of the matter The beat goes on

February — the shortest month of the year — is the month of St. Valentine’s Day and the month of love. For many, February can bring it with some anticipation and even exasperation. What do you get for your sweet honeybee? What’s the perfect gift? What if you don’t have anyone to celebrate with?

Well, fear no more, because not only is February the month of love but it’s the month of loving yourself — American Heart Month. Give yourself and your loved ones the greatest gift this American Heart Month — and all year long — by focusing on making heart-healthy decisions towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Understanding Heart Disease

According to the Mayo Clinic, heart disease applies to a range of various diseases which affect the heart. Such conditions include blood vessel diseases, coronary artery issues, heart rhythm problems and congenital heart defects (among others).

“Heart disease” is a term often used synonymously with “cardiovascular disease,” which generally refers to conditions that include narrowed or blocked blood vessels. Blood vessel diseases can often lead to a heart attack, chest pain or even stroke. Despite the variation of heart disease a person has, it usually carries very serious side effects.

It is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States. In fact, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1 in 4 deaths are caused by heart disease every year.

Nearly half of adults in the United States — more than 121 million people — have some type of cardiovascular disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States; nearly 650,000 die from it every year and, heart disease is preventable 80 percent of the time.

Certain minority groups, including Blacks and Latinos/ Latinas, are also at higher risk due to genetic predisposition, diet, lifestyle factors, and socioeconomic factors. However, illness in any population can be prevented by taking simple steps towards a healthier lifestyle.

Women especially are affected by heart disease, with their statistics being even higher. According to the American Heart Association, a woman dies by heart disease and stroke every 80 seconds. That’s 1 in 3 deaths every year. Thankfully, American Heart Month is taking steps to put a stop to this.

Go Red

Don’t become a statistic. American Heart Association recommends you Go Red:

• Get your numbers by asking your doctor to check your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose.

• Own your lifestyle and commit to stop smoking, exercise consistently and eat healthy.

• Raise your voice and advocate for more cardiovascular disease research and education.

• Educate your family and friends by making healthy food choices. Take time to teach those in your life the importance of staying active and monitoring their hearts.

• Donate. Commit to a better future for our nation by showing support with your time or money.

Adults with heart disease are also at increased risk of severe illness from Covid-19. According to the American Heart Association, Covid-19 patients with underlying conditions including cardiovascular disease are six times more likely to be hospitalized and 12 times more likely to die than patients without any chronic health problems. About one in three people with Covid-19 has cardiovascular disease, making it the most common underlying health condition.

Cardiologists encourage people in these high-risk groups to get their full dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, including the boosters.

“People with heart disease and with risk factors including diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, and obesity are at higher risk of contracting a severe Covid-19 infection and having complications due to Covid-19 infection. Thus, we strongly recommend these patients get vaccinated. I know some patients have been reluctant; however, vaccines have been proven to be safe and to prevent severe infections and for the most part, are well tolerated,” says Johanna

Before you reach for that salt shaker, think again

By Deborah Pike Olsen

You probably worry about how much fat is in your diet, but you might not think twice about salt. Big mistake: Consuming too much salt kills more people than artery-clogging trans fat, says Stephen Havas, M.D., professor of preventive edicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago. In fact, at least 150,000 people die each year because of their salt intake, he says.

Too much salt causes your blood vessels to swell. Salt triggers your body to hold on to water, wherever it can, and in this case, high-sodium levels can make the blood vessels retain excess fluid. All this extra water increases pressure in the artery walls, which overtime can contribute to high blood pressure and hardening of the arteries, says Dr. Havas. “Over time, 90 percent of people in this country will develop high blood pressure, and excess sodium is the primary reason,” he says.

Many sources of sodium are hidden. About 75 percent of our daily salt intake comes from restaurants and processed foods, according to research published in the American Journal of Public Health. A single restaurant meal may contain 1,300 mg of sodium, and many canned or frozen foods contain 1,000 mg or more in an 8-ounce serving. Major sources of sodium include bread, chicken, pizza, pasta, cold cuts, cheese, soups and beef, according to the National Cancer Institute. Taken together, these foods can pour upwards of 2,000 mg of sodium into the body per day.

A little salt goes a long way. Our bodies need salt to maintain the body’s fluid balance and to generate electrical impulses in nerves and muscles. But thing is, you don’t need much of it.

The American Heart Association and the advisory committee for the new Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend consuming no more than 1,500 milligrams of sodium per day — which translates to about two-thirds of a teaspoon of salt. Unfortunately, most Americans are eating much more than that…close to 4,000 mg daily. However, reducing our intake by just 10 percent could potentially prevent one million heart attacks and strokes, according to new and emerging research published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

You can de-salt your palate! When you’re cooking, experiment with different spices — thyme, oregano, basil, even pepper. At a restaurant, ask your server which dishes can be prepared without adding salt. Avoid fast-food restaurants and processed foods as much as possible, and read food labels carefully.

There can be wide variation in sodium content for a single type of food, such as bread or tomato sauce, says Dr. Havas. Finally, limit salty snacks and consider adding fresh lemon juice instead of salt to fish and vegetables.