Leap Into Heart Health This Leap Year With Moberly Regional Medical Center

1/10/2024

MOBERLY, Mo. (January 10, 2024) – It’s a leap year, and that means we all can look forward to an extra day in February – an extra day to enjoy life, be well, and pursue the things that make us happy. And, while an extra day is nice, what if you could add more years to your life?

Caring for your heart is one of the best ways to increase longevity. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, responsible for one in five adult deaths in the U.S each year. The CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) estimates one person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease. But there are actions you can take right now to reduce the risk of heart disease.

This February, Moberly Regional Medical Center is marking American Heart Month and the 2024 leap year with its Leap into Heart Health educational email series. People who sign up will receive short, fun-filled, fact-filled, potentially life-saving emails designed to help improve heart health. Topics include ways to “spring” into action, “skip” past stress, “hurdle” over harmful habits, “hop” into bed earlier for better rest and other “steps” anyone can take toward a stronger, healthier heart.

“There are some simple things that most people can do to reduce the risk of heart disease,” said Dr. Dana Valencia, cardiologist at Moberly Regional Medical Center. “By not smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol and treating high blood pressure, a person may see measurable improvement in their overall heart health.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the first American Heart Month in February 1964. Several years before that, when he was Senate Majority Leader, Johnson was a 60-cigarette-per-day smoker and suffered a near-fatal heart attack. He was only 46 years old. Every U.S. President since has recognized February as American Heart Month and a time to educate Americans about ways to prevent heart disease.

The Leap into Heart Health email series will be delivered to inboxes every other day in February with a short article and heart health tips you can try right away. The series also includes warnings about symptoms and conditions that may indicate you should see a doctor, especially high blood pressure, high cholesterol and genetic predisposition to heart disease.

“At Moberly Regional Medical Center, we are not only here to care for you when you need us, we are also committed to helping people live healthier,” said MRMC CEO Michael Hall. “There are many of us who can do simple things to take better care of our hearts. We hope that people will Leap into Heart Health with us this February. The email content takes only a couple of minutes to read each day, and the advice is fun, sometimes surprising, informative, and in some cases, it may be life-saving.”

To “Leap into Heart Health,” sign up at https://www.moberlyregionalmedicalcenter.com/heart-challenge.

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