In an effort to increase cardiovascular health in the US and promote prevention of heart disease, the American Heart Association has taken an innovative step and defined ideal cardiovascular health using seven easy to understand measures. In concert with this definition they’ve also created an aid to help people in understanding their cardiovascular health by launching a monitoring tool over at My Life Check.
“A simple step-by-step approach has now been developed that delivers on the hope we all have – to live a long, productive, healthy life. We call it Life’s Simple 7,” said Dr. Clyde W. Yancy, President of the American Heart Association.
What are the seven things we should all be monitoring?
- Never smoked or quit more than one year ago;
- Body mass index less than 25 kg/m2;
- Physical activity of at least 150 minutes (moderate intensity) or 75 minutes (vigorous intensity) each week;
- Four to five of the key components of a healthy diet consistent with current American Heart Association guideline recommendations;
- Total cholesterol of less than 200 mg/dL;
- Blood pressure below 120/80 mm Hg;
- Fasting blood glucose less than 100 mg/dL.
Any improvements in any of these will help people to have healthier hearts and prevent heart disease.
Continues Dr. Yancy,
“Prevention should be a cornerstone of healthcare reform, a priority of our state and local legislatures, incorporated into our workplace policies, in our schools and our community environments, and a big part of our everyday lives. The American Heart Association is clearly focusing not only on reducing the burden of disease but, importantly, on prevention of disease. That should matter to everyone.”
Hmmm…there could be the makings of a problem here…actually two problems.
First, we all know that heart disease can put heavy burdens on society, but we also know, though we don’t like to admit it, that prevention brings its own burdens. Read the rest of this entry »
