February is known as American Heart Month, and an expert from the Dallas County Health Department outlines strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Community Health Educator Natalie Peters acknowledges that heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. She says that heart disease can develop due to genetics, medical conditions, or even lifestyle choices. Peters recommends having a healthier heart lifestyle would include eating balanced meals of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and unsaturated fats; exercising with approximately two and a half hours of moderate physical activity, or an hour and 15 minutes of vigorous physical activity, and then sleeping between seven and nine hours. 

She explains that it’s important to be aware of the term “Know Your Numbers,” referring to blood pressure, blood cholesterol, blood sugar, and body mass index as the main components that impact everyone’s heart and if there are issues. 

“Blood pressure is the force of blood against your arteries when the heart beats, and then when it rests. Cholesterol is a waxy substance produced by the liver. Blood sugar is the amount of glucose in your blood. And then finally body mass index is a measurement comparing your weight to your height, so it can be helpful for understanding if you’re at a healthy weight, and then that’s important because obesity increases the risks of heart disease.”

Peters indicates that getting a regular check up at the doctors office will help manage these areas and can offer tips to better assist a healthier lifestyle.