Black History Month and Matters of the Heart

U.N.I is a resource for all community members who want to get healthy and take care of their bodies. We are commemorating Black History Month AND the season of love by discussing matters of the heart that are relevant to this community. African Americans ages 18-49 are 2 times as likely to die from heart disease than whites. And African Americans ages 35-64 years are 50% more likely to have high blood pressure than whites!*

U.N.I. is ready to help you improve your heart health. We encourage and provide regular blood pressure monitoring as a step in preventing heart disease. Blood Pressure is the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls. It is measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). High Blood Pressure (HBP) means the pressure in your arteries is higher than it should be. Another name for high blood pressure is hypertension.**

Did you know that you actually have control of your heart health?  By living a heart healthy lifestyle and attending regular checkups at UNI, you will not only understand your body better, but you can prevent a major heart incident. The CDC suggests that a heart-healthy lifestyle means exercising often: 150 minutes/week of moderate aerobic or 75 minutes/week of vigorous exercise. Eat a well balanced diet with limited sugar and limited processed foods. Maintain a healthy weight, avoid smoking, and limit alcoholic drinks. U.N.I. welcomes any patients with questions about heart health and takes active steps to help empower patients to live a heart healthy life!

 

*https://www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/aahealth/index.html

**American Heart Association