February is American Heart Month and what better time to see how you and your lifestyle measure up. We all know that heart disease is rampant. It is the #1 killer of women and men in the U.S. Fortunately, there are many resources available for us to access to improve our chances of preventing or treating heart conditions. The risk factors include: sedentary life styles, stress, anxiety, high fat diet, smoking, being overweight, high cholesterol levels.
Organizations like the American Heart Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cleveland Clinic and Vascular Institute, and WebMd.com among others, provide incredible resources to help you assess and address all of these factors.
- The American Heart Association contains a local search feature that locates resources based on zipcode.
- The CDC invites users to receive notifications by e-mailwhen new information is available. With a subscription profile, you get the updated information on the items of interest to you automatically without having to return to the Web site and check for changes. RSS feeds and podcasts are also offered.
- The Cleveland Clinicoffers an online service “Chat with a Heart Nurse” to help with heart, vascular and thoracic related questions.
- WebMd.comoffers expert blogs and discussion boards covering virtually all topics related to heart health.
