E-Magazine: Public Health: Heart Disease

Although heart disease is preventable, it is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the CDC, heart disease is responsible for one out of every five deaths. Heart Disease is a chronic illness in an individual’s cardiovascular system. As hosa members, we have the responsibility to advocate for better public health. I’ll simply present the question: How could we preserve our health as well as others?

We must first protect ourselves from heart disease before we can advocate for others. There are many core elements to preventing heart problems including, physical activity, stress management, and a life without drug or tobacco use or secondhand smoke exposure can help you avoid heart problems. It can also be as simple as preparing a healthy meal at home rather than eating fast food. According to health.gov, green vegetables, almonds, and my personal favorite, dark chocolate, are the most popular heart-healthy foods in moderation of course. These basic steps to keeping a healthy heart are not as simple as they appear.

There are several factors that influence our daily choices and result in this public health issue. When you go shopping, you may notice that the prices of goods are rising. It appears to be easier and less expensive to buy junk food, fast food, or go to restaurants. According to Harvard's healthy eating research, it costs about $1.50 more per day to eat healthier. While it may appear inexpensive and achievable, it will add up to about $550 per year. That extra $550 makes a massive difference for many families due to already-expensive living conditions across the country. The best way to prevent heart disease and other nutritional issues across the country is to build a system of fresh, healthy, reasonably priced food that is available to all. That is what a high-quality food future looks like.

Hopefully, you now understand the steps you can take to protect your own heart and live a long, happy, and healthy life. Now that you have more knowledge on preventing heart disease, it is time to advocate for those who need it the most: the people that are closest to us and in our communities. As Hosa chapters, you can sponsor food banks and hold food drives to help those who can't afford healthy food. Members of hosa can also educate those around them by promoting heart health, hosting a 5K to get communities moving, and providing educational materials. These are just a few of the opportunities chapters have to protect public health and prevent heart disease.

The essentials of heart health are the starting point for improving our public health system and developing a nutrition system that is equitable across the country and, eventually, the world. With that in mind, follow these simple guidelines to protect yourself, educate those around you, and keep everyone's heart safe. If you're interested in learning more about heart disease, please visit heart.org or CDC.gov.