Happy Heart Month!  The American Heart Association has designated February as American Heart Month.  The idea is to remind people to maintain heart health by paying attention to their diet and exercise habits.

Years ago heart attacks were much more common in men but these days heart disease is an equal opportunity problem!  It is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States.

There are many conditions that can affect the health of your heart such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, peripheral artery disease, obesity, tobacco use, second hand smoke, and diabetes.

Below are the healthy lifestyle dietary guidelines recommended by the CDC:

1. Choose lean meats and poultry without skin and prepare without added saturated and trans fat.
2. Select fat-free, 1%, and low fat dairy products.
3. Cut back on foods containing partially hydrogenated vegetable oils to reduce trans fats in your diet.
4. Cut back on foods high in dietary cholesterol.  Aim to eat less than 300 mg of cholesterol each day.
5. Cut back on beverages and foods with added sugars.
6. Choose and prepare foods with little or no salt.  Aim to eat less than 2,300 mg. of sodium per day.  All persons who have hypertension, all middle-aged and older adults, and all African Americans should consume no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.
7. If you drink alcohol, drink in moderation.  That means no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men.
8. Keep an eye of your portion sizes.

As far as exercise goes, try to add more physical activity to your usual daily routine and include 20 – 30 minutes of sustained cardio activity (walking, dance, etc.) a minimum of 3 days per week.

February 5, 2010 is National Wear Red Day.  Show your support for the fight against heart disease – wear red this Friday!