February is the month in which we celebrate Valentine's Day. Most people celebrate by giving chocolates, candies, going out to eat at restaurants, and other usually unhealthy choices. Dahye and Beyong II (2020) referred to eating out as food away from home in an article published on January 16, 2020, on the website of the National Library of Medicine. The authors stated that food away from home contributed to obesity and deviation from the typical healthy eating habits (Dahye & Beyong II).
Ironically, February is heart month, American Heart month. It is the time of year when we share information about healthy hearts, heart disease, and strategies of prevention. I must ask however, what about March through January? Are those months given as a pass to live in ignorance of the risks, signs and symptoms of an impending heart disease? It is important to note that heart disease is one of the leading causes of death for both men and women (MemorialCare, n.d.).
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2021) stated that the term, heart disease refers to many different types of heart conditions.
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Twelve years ago, heart disease cost the United States an estimated $316.4 billion in health care, medicine and lost productivity (Shape-able, n.d.). Despite the type of heart disease, it is sometimes difficult for doctors to diagnose a person with a heart disease. Diagnosis usually occurs after that person begins experiencing signs or symptoms of one of the types of heart diseases such as heart attack, heart failure, or arrhythmia (CDC, 2021). Signs may include chest pains, upper back pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of the feet, legs, abdomen, neck veins or a fluttering feeling in the chest.
Smokers and people with high blood pressure and high cholesterol are at greater risk of being diagnosed with a heart disease. The fact that about 47% of the total population in America has at least one of the three identified risk factors, should be enough to start a revolution on food inequality. Other risk factors include unhealthy diets, obesity, overweight, diabetes, excessive alcohol use and not enough physical daily activities.
Obesity in children is a problem and has been for some time. Changes should be made early in a child's life to prevent the diagnosis of heart disease in chidler3n from becoming an epidemic. This Valentine's Day join The CPR Training Academy of CT in educating children about the risks, signs and symptoms and causes of heart disease. Let us spread love with knowledge instead of candies and other unhealthy choices. Let Heart Month become Heart Months and continue the conversation throughout the year. Start by inviting your child in the kitchen to plan the grocery list, then to the supermarket and back to the kitchen. When children help with decision making, they are more likely to follow through with decisions made.
This February let's make it one of the Heart Months when we give the gift of love by sharing knowledge of healthy living.
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