Culpeper Chamber of Commerce issued the following announcement on Feb. 10
To commemorate and celebrate the contributions to our nation made by people of African descent, American historian Carter G. Woodson established Black History Week. First celebrated in 1926, the week was expanded into Black History Month in 1976 as part of the nation’s bicentennial. Each year, the U.S. President proclaims February as National African American History Month. Please be sure to scroll down to see the local Black History Month “Spotlight” information posted by the Northern Piedmont Community Foundation.
February is also Heart Awareness month, and as it happens there is a correlation between African Americans and Heart Health.
Heart disease, cancer, and stroke are the leading causes of death for African Americans.
- 1 in 3 deaths in the United States is due to cardiovascular disease. People of all ages, genders, races, and ethnicities are affected. However, certain groups—including African Americans and older individuals, are at higher risk than others.
- Nearly half of all African American adults have some form of cardiovascular disease that includes heart disease and stroke.
- High blood pressure is the leading cause of heart attack and stroke in the United States. About 2 out of every 5 African American adults have high blood pressure, and less than half of them have it under control. African American adults are much more likely to suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), heart attacks, and stroke deaths than white adults. Individuals living below the federal poverty level are more likely to have high blood pressure compared with those living at the highest level of income.
And, finally, please be sure to keep up with the changing news about COVID-19. Remember: by wearing a mask, getting vaccinated, and remaining vigilant, we’ll keep the path for avoidance and recovery open. We do post the latest updates from the Virginia Department of Health on our website so check there if you don’t know where else to find it.
African Americans and Heart Disease
It’s fitting that February is both Black History and American Heart Month, an initiative created to bring awareness to the nationwide problem of heart and blood vessel diseases. Heart disease disproportionately impacts Black communities.
Just take a look at some of these statistics from BlackDoctor.org:
African American adults are more likely to be diagnosed with coronary heart disease, and they are more likely to die from heart disease.
- Although African American adults are 40% more likely to have high blood pressure, they are 10% less likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts to have their blood pressure under control.
- More African American men die from heart attacks associated with stress than any other ethnic group in the United States.
- Stroke is identified as being 67% higher in African American men than other ethnic groups and are 88% more likely to die from a stroke than Caucasians.
- The American Heart Association says that African Americans are more than three times as likely to die from heart disease caused by high blood pressure as Caucasians
How You Can Help To Prevent Heart Disease
There are many steps you can take to keep your heart healthy.
Try to be more physically active. Talk with your doctor about the type of activities that would be best for you. If possible, aim to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. Every day is best. It doesn't have to be done all at once.
Start by doing activities you enjoy—brisk walking, dancing, bowling, bicycling, or gardening, for example. Avoid spending hours every day sitting.
If you smoke, quit.
Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Smoking adds to the damage to artery walls. It's never too late to get some benefit from quitting smoking. Quitting, even in later life, can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer over time.
Follow a heart-healthy diet.
Choose foods that are low in trans and saturated fats, added sugars, and salt. As we get older, we become more sensitive to salt, which can cause swelling in the legs and feet. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber, like those made from whole grains. Get more information on healthy eating from NIA. You also can find information on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Patterns.
Keep a healthy weight.
Balancing the calories you eat and drink with the calories burned by being physically active helps to maintain a healthy weight. Some ways you can maintain a healthy weight include limiting portion size and being physically active. Learn more about how to maintain a healthy weight from NIA.
Keep your diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol under control.
Follow your doctor's advice to manage these conditions, and take medications as directed.
How does heart disease affect women?
Despite increases in awareness over the past decades, only about half (56%) of women recognize that heart disease is their number 1 killer.1
Learn more facts about women and heart disease:
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for women in the United States, killing 299,578 women in 2017—or about 1 in every 5 female deaths.2
- Heart disease is the leading cause of death for African American and white women in the United States. Among American Indian and Alaska Native women, heart disease and cancer cause roughly the same number of deaths each year. For Hispanic and Asian or Pacific Islander women, heart disease is second only to cancer as a cause of death.3
- About 1 in 16 women age 20 and older (6.2%) have coronary heart disease, the most common type of heart disease:4
About 1 in 30 Asian women (3.2%)
RESOURCES, GET YOUR RESOURCE GUIDE!
A complete resource guide for healthcare, caregiver support, food & housing options, legal help, life enrichment, and more. Published for older adults, caregivers, family members and professionals.
The guide is distributed at public places around our 5-county region. If you need a hard copy mailed to you, please contact us at info@agingtogether.org. Shipping and handling for mailing a Guide is $4.
NEED TRANSPORTATION?
FAMS Call Center
RRCS Mobility Specialists in our one-call transit center provide information on all travel modes and directly assist with travel arrangements and training.
They can provide FREE information and referrals for all available public, private, and volunteer transportation services in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange, and Rappahannock counties by calling one number — 540-829-5300.
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up