There couldn’t be a better month than February to celebrate Heart Health Month although too many of us take this important organ for granted. We’ll give gift of hearts on Valentine’s Day but ignore our own heart health and how it affects us and our loved ones.  So, why not use this February as the starting point for taking care of your heart all year long?  FirstLantic can help you get started.  Take our quiz below and get the facts.

 

Answers are below the quiz but don’t peak!

 

  1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States. True or False
  2. How many people die from heart disease within the U.S. each year?
    a. 50,000
    b. 275,000
    c. 659,000
    d. 840,000
  3. What behaviors increase the chances of heart disease?
    a. Lack of physical activity
    b. Eating a diet high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol
    c. Tobacco use
    d. Drinking too much alcohol
    e. All of the above
    f. None of the above
  4. What health conditions increase the risk of heart disease?
    a. Obesity
    b. High blood pressure
    c. High cholesterol
    d. Diabetes
    e. All of the above
    f. None of the above
  5. Which of these states has the highest rate of heart disease?
    a. Michigan
    b. Florida
    c. California
    d. New York
  6. Which region of the country has the highest rate of heart disease?
    a. South
    b. Northeast
    c. Midwest
    d. West Coast
  7. By 2035, what percentage of Americans will have some form of cardiovascular disease?
    a. 20%
    b. 35%
    c. 45%
    d. 65%
  8. The average heart beats approximately how many times per day?
    a. 60,000
    b. 100,000
    c. 120,000
    d. 200,000
  9. Men’s hearts beat faster than women’s hearts. True or False
  10. How many miles (yes you read that correctly) of blood vessels are there in the body?
    a. 1,000
    b. 10,000
    c. 25,000
    d. 60,000

 

Answers below:

 

  1. True
  2. c. 659,000 people die every year in the U.S. from heart disease – every 26 seconds one person dies from cardiovascular disease
  3.  e. – all are factors in heart disease. Eating a diet high in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol has been linked to heart disease. Lack of physical activity can lead to heart disease and increase the chances of having other medical conditions.  Too much alcohol can raise blood pressure levels and the risk for heart disease and tobacco use increases tobacco use can damage the heart and blood vessels and raise blood pressure.
    •  Eat a diet that’s free of trans fats, low in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt, and sugar, and high in fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, omega-3 fatty acids, and dark chocolate. Get cooking with these heart-healthy recipes.
    •  Exercise at moderate intensity for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.
    •  Limit stress. Try meditating, spending time with people you love, getting enough sleep, and seeking counseling if you need it.
    •  Quit smoking today. Get help quitting here.
    •  Work with your doctor to manage your blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, and weight.
    •  Don’t drink more than one to two alcoholic drinks per day for men, and one drink per day for women.
  1. a. Michigan.
  2. a. The South is the region with the highest rates of heart disease. All of the states with the highest rates are in the South except for Michigan. They are Alabama, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Michigan
  3. c. With the increase in obesity and unhealthy lifestyles, it is expected that 45% of American will have cardiovascular disease by 2035.
  4. b. The average heart beats over 100,000 times per day
  5. False – The average heartbeat of a woman is about 8 beats a minute faster than a man’s heartbeat.
  6. There are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in your body. That’s enough to go around the world twice.

 

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