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February is American Heart Month

Dear HCC Member:

February is American Heart Month, a great time to remind the community of heart health. HCC would like to bring a special awareness to connections between alcohol, substance abuse and heart health.

This HCC February Newsletter has some really valuable resources, articles and social media posts for you to share with your circle of influence.

If you are new to HCC or just learning about the coalition, you can find us on Facebook @yourlife-yourchoicehcc or you can find more information on our website: http://www.yourlife-yourchoice.com/ .

Thank you all for that you do in the community!

Alcohol and Cardiovascular Disease

Alcohol consumption increases an individual's risk of cardiovascular disease.

How alcohol can damage the cardiovascular system

The heart and blood vessels form part of the cardiovascular system. 1 Blood is pumped around the body by the heart, via these blood vessels through arteries, capillaries and veins. 2 The blood delivers nutrients and other materials to all parts of the body, including alcohol, which is absorbed directly into the blood stream mainly via the stomach and small intestine. Read more

4 Facts You Should Know About How Alcohol Affects Your Heart

A cardiologist shares insights on the health impact of imbibing

Many people know that drinking alcohol too often or to excess is not a good idea, health-wise. But there are other things you should know about alcohol and the impact it can have your heart .

6 Worst Foods for Heart Disease–Find Out What NOT to Put in Your Shopping Cart

Heart disease kills an average of 610,000 people per year in the United States alone and is the leading cause of death for both men and women in America. Besides a few genetic components like sex, ethnicity, and family history, the causes of heart disease are largely preventable. In addition to exercise, changing your diet will go a long way towards preventing heart disease. The food we eat can help us lower cholesterol and blood pressure, help maintain healthy blood sugar levels, and prevent obesity; all of which are risk factors for heart disease.

Smoking and your Heart

Smoking affects the vessels that supply blood to your heart and other parts of your body. It reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood and damages blood vessel walls.

Smoking contributes to atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis occurs when there is narrowing and clogging of the arteries which reduces blood supply, and the amount of oxygen available, throughout the body.

JACC - Alcohol Abuse can increase the risk of heart disease

Enviromental Scans

In the February HCC Meeting, SFC Justin Chernogorec from the National Guard Counterdrug Task Force presented to the coalition on environmental and community scans. Members learned more about what these scans are and why they are important such as helping us to identify issues in the community and employ local resources more effectively, while also addressing any gaps in service . Read more