February is American Heart Month.

According to the American Heart Association and the Center for Disease Control, heart disease remains as the leading cause of death in the United States. On average, an American dies every 34 seconds from cardiovascular disease and there are 446 deaths everyday in the United States from stroke. There are several different ways to work toward a healthy heart, not just in American Heart Month, but year round. Marion County Public Health Nurse Judi Van Hulzen says it is crucial to eat a healthy balanced diet, avoid smoking, keep a healthy weight, reduce alcohol consumption, and monitor blood pressure. She says it’s also important to have daily exercise to help with heart health.

“If we do 20 minutes a day, and we don’t have to do it all at once, but just 20 minutes a day of some good activities like walking briskly, parking your car further away from the door when you’re going to work, going up steps, not taking the elevator. I’ve heard it a thousand times too and I don’t always do it but you can start today.”

Hear more from Van Hulzen about American Heart Month on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.