American Heart Month

​In 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson, a heart attack survivor, declared February as the first American Heart Month.

American Heart Month is set aside to encourage people to help themselves, friends and family adopt the healthy habits that can reduce the risk of heart disease.

More than 600,000 Americans die from heart disease every year. For most groups in the nation, heart disease is the leading cause of death. All forms of cancer combined do not kill as many Americans as heart disease. The number of people who have heart attacks every year, roughly 1.3 million, is larger than the population of Dallas, Texas.

Risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking and excessive alcohol use. Regular exercise, eating a healthy diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, controlling blood pressure and managing high cholesterol promote a healthy heart, according to nationaltoday.com.

American Heart Month is also aimed at raising awareness of heart disease, reminding people to take care of their hearts while promoting heart health education.