February is American Heart Month

In the United States, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. Since 1963, February has been celebrated as American Heart Month to urge Americans to join the battle against heart disease.

Since 2004, February also has been the signature month for the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women campaign, which emphasizes that heart disease is not only a man's problem.

Know your numbers. Understanding your blood pressure reading, cholesterol levels and body mass index are an important part of preventing and managing heart disease.

BLOOD PRESSURE: When someone checks your blood pressure, they are looking to see how much force is being put on your arteries as your heart pumps blood through your body.

CHOLESTEROL: It's a soft, waxy substance found in all parts of the body. Having some cholesterol in your body is important because it's needed for several bodily functions.

In adults, the systolic pressure (top number) should be less than 120 and the diastolic pressure (bottom number) should be less than 80.

Having too much cholesterol can put you at risk for coronary heart disease and stroke. In general, you want your total cholesterol to be less than 200 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dl), because that level carries the least risk of heart disease.

BODY MASS INDEX: Your BMI estimates whether you are at a healthy weight. Being overweight puts strain on your heart and can lead to serious health problems, including heart disease. Here's how to calculate it:

Multiply your weight in pounds by 703. Then, divide the answer by your height in inches. Divide that answer by your height in inches again.

If the result is 24.9 or less, you're healthy. If it's higher, you are overweight or obese

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