The Las Lomas Page

WRITTEN BY Lena Donaldson

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// National Wear Red Day is the first Friday in February, marking the beginning of National Heart Disease Month. This month brings awareness to the disease that is the number one killer of Americans, according to the American Heart Association (AHA). 

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The term “heart disease” refers to a variety of different heart conditions, the most common being coronary artery disease. This disease is a leading killer of Americans as it affects blood flow to the heart and can lead to heart attacks. Symptoms of people who suffer from this include chest pain, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and shortness of breath. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), about 695,000 people in the US died from heart disease in 2021, making the disease the cause of one in every five deaths during that year. This disease doesn’t tend to develop overnight; it usually takes decades, which contributes to why many people’s symptoms can go unnoticed.

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Even though this disease mainly affects people sixty-five and older, taking preventative measures when you’re younger is vital in lowering your chances of developing heart conditions such as coronary artery disease. The CDC states that smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes or a family history of heart problems can increase risk significantly. The AHA has many tools, including pamphlets that detail how to lower your risk of developing heart conditions. At any age, the AHA recommends developing healthy eating plans that consist of low saturated fat and sodium. They also suggest eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains and proteins over meat. Eating these recommended foods can lower your levels of cholesterol, which is important in avoiding blockage to blood vessels/arteries. For younger people, they recommend staying physically active and at least two hours of moderate-intensity activity each week. For teenagers, it is essential to develop these healthy habits now and allow them to become a routine that can be taken into adulthood. They also strongly recommend avoiding smoking and secondhand smoke. According to the AHA, even non-smokers are up to 30% more likely to develop heart conditions from just being exposed to secondhand smoke regularly.

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National Wear Red Day is an easy opportunity to help spread awareness for heart health this month. If you want to take action, challenge yourself to cook more heart-healthy meals for your family and exercise more consistently. You can also talk to loved ones about getting screened for this disease. Screening can help catch silent risk factors like high blood pressure or cholesterol. This month, you could also challenge yourself to learn CPR to be prepared in case somebody around you faces a heart attack this year. If you want to learn more, the American Heart Association and the CDC have many resources that detail the disease and how to prevent it. The new American Red Cross Club at Las Lomas is also a strong resource; they are even holding CPR classes for students. For more information, follow their Instagram @llhsredcross and visit one of their meetings. The meetings are held in room 213 on the second Wednesday of each month. Being educated and bringing awareness during this month can help to save lives in the future.