People have been celebrating Heart Health Month in a variety of ways throughout February, from donning red gowns on National Wear Red Day to eating flavonol-rich chocolate on Valentine’s Day. The basics to living a heart-healthy lifestyle are well-known: eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, strive for the appropriate dietary fiber intake, exercise regularly, quit smoking if you smoke, moderate alcohol consumption, and maintain a healthy body weight. On the other hand, comprehension does not always imply action. If you know someone who needs some encouragement to start living a healthy lifestyle, now is the time to sit down with them and remind them of what they need to do and why. It may be your husband who needs a little more encouragement to exercise a few times a week, or the mother of one of your children’s best friends who isn’t looking after herself and needs to set a better example for her children.
