February is not only known for Valentine’s Day, chocolate, flowers and heart-shaped decorations, but also as American Heart Month.

According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, “heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.”

This is not said to be scary, but instead to bring awareness to an issue that can sometimes be avoided. Many little things can be done to protect your heart and allow you to live a healthy lifestyle.

One way to be healthy is called Heart-Healthy Living.

You must be willing to make healthy decisions in your everyday life to prevent diseases or conditions that affect your heart and mental health.

As the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute states, “Heart-healthy living involves understanding your risk, making healthy choices, and taking steps to reduce your chances of getting heart disease, including coronary heart disease, the most common type. By taking preventive measures, you can lower your risk of developing heart disease that could lead to a heart attack.”

Little things can have a big impact on the health of your heart and overall well-being. It does not always take a drastic change to improve one’s health.

First, it is important to get enough sleep. Lack of sleep or getting poor-quality sleep can result in high blood pressure, heart disease and other medical conditions.

Next, eat better!

A well-balanced diet can help lower high blood pressure and improve cholesterol, which can affect your heart health.

Try to maintain a healthy weight. Maintaining a healthy weight is important for overall health and management of many diseases and conditions.

Be active. Getting enough physical activity can help lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you smoke, try to stop.

Any amount of smoke, even light or occasional, damages the heart and blood vessels.

Watch and control your cholesterol. Unhealthy levels of cholesterol can increase the risk of developing heart disease.

Manage your blood sugar. Maintaining a good blood sugar level is important for heart health. Control your blood pressure. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range can help to prevent heart problems. Manage your stress.

Learning how to manage stress with healthy coping strategies helps to improve both your emotional and physical health.

When selecting food to eat, be sure you eat smart. By changing your perception of how and what you are eating, you can start to eat healthier.

Use a smaller plate so you do not have extra large portions.

Chew slowly and let yourself enjoy what you are eating.

Allow yourself to pick healthy snacks with fewer calories.

When you decide to become more active, keep in mind that you do not need to spend all day at the gym to improve your health. Aim for 2 hours and 30 minutes of activity each week.

Do not overdo your exercises and activity levels but make exercise a realistic and achievable goal.

Just try your best to be a healthier you!

Mallory Wiand is the Wellness and HEAP coordinator at Direction Home of Eastern Ohio. Contact the office at 330-505-2300 for information regarding senior-based services and opportunities in the Mahoning Valley.