Your Physique: Love Your Heart!

We Heart You!

There are so many things to celebrate this February: Black History Month, Valentine’s Day, Presidents Day (Go Lincoln and Washington!), and Fat Tuesday! But, Urban Talk wants you to mark something else on your calendar this month...February is American Heart Month. Sure, right now we are young, successful, and outrageously attractive, but we have to face the facts:

• Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death for African-American males and females age 20 and older.

• African-American women face a greater threat of death from heart disease than women of other races.

• In 2005, African American men were 30% more likely to die from heart disease, as compared to non-Hispanic white men.

Definitely scary, but knowledge is power! Here are some simple things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease:

• Work out at least 30 minutes most days of the week to keep your heart pumping.

• If you smoke, STOP! In Europe, a pack of cigarettes says, “SMOKERS DIE EARLY!” That’s the truth, so kick the habit this month.

• Eat a healthier diet. Sure fried chicken and mac and cheese are great, but save ‘em for the holidays. Enjoy grilled meat and lots of veggies in your everyday diet.

• Get a physical: know your blood pressure, cholesterol levels and BMI, and if any of them are out of whack, talk to your doctor about getting back on track.

Start a healthy lifestyle today! Let that be your Valentine’s Day gift to your loved ones, because they want you around for many more years to come!

For more information visit www.americanheart.org and check out a Toolkit for African Americans here.