Educating the public does not start with older women alone; it must start from a young age. As the saying goes, “an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Information on maintaining a healthy heart and lifestyle must be shared with children so that they can be aware and understand the risk behaviors that can lead to developing heart disease in the future. Children of all ages can benefit from learning the value of eating a balanced diet and participating in regular physical activity and exercising to maintain an ideal weight. Educating them on the effects of smoking cigarette, second- hand smoke, and using illegal drugs as factors that increase their risk for heart conditions, can never be overstessed. Also teaching children relaxation techniques and breathing techniques so that they can learn to cope with stressful situations may seem a simple thing but something that goes far in them learning healthy habits to further reduce their risk factors.
It is never too late to identify the risk factors and learn how to overcome them. The important thing is that one has to be aware of these risk factors and make the decision to change to a healthy lifestyle before it is too late.
Here are some heart tips:
To learn more about the “The Heart Truth” campaign, visit links below.