February is American Heart Month and according to the Center for Disease Control, “Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.”  They go on to cite a report by the American Heart Association saying “In 2010, an estimated 785,000 Americans had a new coronary attack, and about 470,000 had a recurrent attack. About every 25 seconds, an American will have a coronary event, and about one every minute will die from one”.

So, every February, there are various events to raise awareness about heart disease as well as encourage people to adopt healthier lifestyles to help prevent heart disease.  Earlier this month, there was an article, The Truths About Heart Disease in the new Patient Resources section of our website.

Today is Heart Health Day at our New Britain facility from 1 to 3 PM.  Registered Dietician Luz Hago and Pharmacist Stefanie Nigro will host free informational sessions providing tips on nutrition, healthy lifestyle and ways to reduce your risk of heart disease. Food samples will be provided during the nutrition presentation by Luz Hago, R.D. and prizes will be distributed throughout the program.  The program will be repeated on Thursday at our Meriden location.

Then, on Saturday, the New Britain YWCA will host a Cardio Kickoff Party from 8 to 11 AM.   There will be Pilates, ZUMBA, Kickboxing, and other free activities.

There are many great opportunities to learn about and adopt heart healthier lifestyles and we hope everyone will spend a little time exploring how they can take better care of their hearts.