National Health Observances Toolkit
National Health Observance Toolkit - February
American Heart Month
Sponsor: The American Heart Association
American Heart Month is a time to battle cardiovascular disease and educate Americans on what we can do to live heart-healthy lives.
Heart disease, including stroke, is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States.
You are at higher risk of heart disease if you are:
- A woman age 55 or older
- A man age 45 or older
- Or a person with a family history of early heart disease
Heart disease can be prevented. To keep your heart healthy:
- Watch your weight.
- Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
- Control your cholesterol and blood pressure.
- If you drink alcohol, drink only in moderation.
- Get active and eat healthy.
- Talk to your doctor about taking aspirin every day if you are a man over the age of 45 or a woman over 55.
- Manage stress.
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Get the Word Out
Sample Media and/or Newsletter or Listserv Announcement | |
Did you know? Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States: http://1.usa.gov/ijFWzj Q. Who’s at risk for heart disease? A. A woman age 55 or older or a man age 45 or older: http://1.usa.gov/ijFWzj Planning a grocery store trip this weekend? Pump up your heart health by choosing foods that are low in sodium (salt): http://1.usa.gov/y0uXTq; Cheat Sheet: Questions to ask your doctor if you have high blood pressure: http://1.usa.gov/jXpKQD Manage your cholesterol--Easier said than done? Watch this presentation from @medlineplus4you for help: http://1.usa.gov/ifq74n
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Get Involved
Take action to promote heart health.
- Celebrate National Wear Red Day (February 3, 2012) to raise awareness about women and heart disease. Encourage everyone in your community to wear red on National Wear Red Day and use the tools provided in the toolkit to learn how they can protect themselves and their loved ones from heart disease. Visit Go Red for
Women for more information. - Host an American Heart Month event at local schools, health centers, libraries, etc. Work with local recreation and fitness centers to spread the word about the importance of physical activity to prevent heart disease.
- Contact your local Red Cross to host a CPR training event in your community. Urge local community members to learn CPR and AED (Automated External Defibrillator). These skills can help save the life of someone who has sudden cardiac arrest.
- Host a 20-minute group walk around your office at lunch time.
- Conduct a cooking demonstration using a heart-healthy recipe.
Adapted from the American Heart Association.
Contact the American Heart Association at inquiries@heart.org for more information and materials.
Related Tools on healthfinder.gov
Personal Health Tools
More Information (Health A-Z)
Quick Guide to Healthy Living
Resources
- The American Heart Association
American Heart Month Sponsor - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Heart Disease: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Minority Health, Heart Disease 101
- Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health, Frequently Asked Questions About Heart Disease
- Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health, Heart Health and Stroke
- National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Heart and Vascular Diseases
- National Institutes of Health, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, The Heart Truth Campaign
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