The whole month of February is dedicated to matters of the heart! The goal of Heart Health Awareness Month is to raise awareness about heart disease and increase knowledge about prevention. Taking care of your heart is important at every age, whether you’re a senior, middle-aged, or even a teenager.

The American Heart Association urges what they call Life’s Simple 7, or seven steps you can take to get your heart’s health on the right track.

1. Get Active. A little simple activity, like walking a few times per week, can help you burn calories and lower blood pressure. It can also control your cholesterol and blood sugar. Even getting some exercise once a week is better than nothing. If you’re used to an inactive lifestyle, start slowly with stretching and strolling.
2. Control Cholesterol. When you control your cholesterol, you’re making sure your arteries stay as clear as possible. Cholesterol is a waxy substance that can build up in your arteries and impede blood flow. Blockages in the arteries can lead to heart disease and stroke.
3. Eat Better. A healthy diet is an essential weapon against cardiovascular disease. Your body needs basic building blocks for a healthy life. Diets that are high in fat and sodium can easily lead to heart disease. Try to keep a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, fiber, and lean protein.
4. Manage Blood Pressure. High blood pressure is the #1 risk factor for heart disease. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range reduces strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys. Eating healthy, getting exercise, and managing your stress and anxiety can help manage your blood pressure.
5. Lose Weight. Losing weight can be tough, but if you have too much fat—especially around your middle—you’re at far higher risk for high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes. When you lose weight, you reduce the strain on your heart. Even losing 5 pounds can make a dramatic difference in your blood pressure.
6. Reduce Blood Sugar. Our bodies turn the food we eat into glucose, to use as fuel. A hormone called insulin acts as a carrier to transport this fuel to our body’s cells. When our bodies stop making insulin, or when the insulin stops working, body sugar can become highly unstable. Over time, high levels of blood sugar can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes and nerves. Diabetes is treatable, so take steps to lower your blood sugar today.
7. Stop Smoking. If you smoke, quitting is the best thing you can do for your overall health, not just your heart. Beyond raising your risk for a whole variety of health issues, smoking also damages your circulatory system and increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hardened arteries, aneurysm and blood clots.

Remember that even if these steps seem daunting, start slow, stay persistent, and know that you’re getting your heart’s health on the right track. Getting active can be easier once you stop smoking, and eating healthier can help you control your cholesterol and your blood sugar.

Take the opportunity to educate yourself about heart disease, and learn some facts and tips. For more information about heart health, visit the American Heart Association’s website at www.heart.org.

Pneumonia can be very dangerous for seniors, even fatal, if it is not caught and treated early on. To catch it early, you should be aware of the signs and symptoms. However, since the elderly often have chronic lung problems, the condition may be harder to detect.

Because pneumonia strikes when a person’s immune system is already weak, it often develops in the later winter months, when people have been battling sniffles, colds, and flus for several weeks already. Watch the seniors in your life carefully to make sure their milder illnesses do not develop into pneumonia.

Symptoms will often resemble those of a cold, respiratory infection, or a bad case of the flu. Severe chills, chest pain, and a persistent cough are the most common symptoms. Generally, the cough tends to be dry. In seniors, a change in mental clarity often accompanies pneumonia. Also, lips may turn a bluish color, due to the body’s lack of oxygen. Pneumonia often causes people to feel very lethargic and weak.

It’s important to keep an eye out for these symptoms, especially if the senior you care for has recently been ill. As always, if they are experiencing worsening symptoms of any kind, contact a doctor. If the senior in your life has trouble breathing or shortness of breath, or experiences pain or pressure in the chest, seek immediate medical attention.

Make sure your loved one has received a vaccine against pneumonia. The PPV, or pneumococcal polysaccaride vaccine, helps protect against 23 kinds of pneumonia. Speak to a doctor about their vaccination history and whether the vaccination is appropriate.

Help seniors prevent pneumonia by avoiding milder illnesses like colds and flus. Make sure everyone washes their hands regularly, disinfect surfaces, and remind yourself and others to cover your coughs and sneezes. Here’s to a healthy 2012!

Every February 14th, we celebrate love and affection with Saint Valentine’s Day, now commonly shortened to Valentine’s Day. The day was originally named after one (or more) early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine, and the day first became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love was flourishing.

While card-giving on Valentine’s Day dates back centuries, since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards. In the 20th century, the tradition of exchanging cards was extended to gift-giving, usually of flowers or chocolates. Modern Valentine’s Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and winged Cupids.

Although Valentine’s Day is most commonly associated with romantic love, many platonic friends and relatives send each other Valentine’s notes to show affection. Making simple Valentine’s cards and decorations can be a fun crafting activity. All you need is construction paper and love!

Take the opportunity to indulge a little this Valentine’s Day. Research shows that many of the things associated with the holiday, from fruit and wine to massage and chocolate are all good for the heart. Moderation is key, but indulging in some cherries and chocolate and a glass of wine can reduce stress and anxiety, lower blood pressure, and even protect your heart muscle. With this in mind, have a very heart-healthy and happy Valentine’s Day!

January is Glaucoma Awareness Month, which makes this the perfect time to spread the word about this sight-stealing disease. The Glaucoma Research Foundation says glaucoma is called “the sneak thief of sight” because there are no symptoms, but once vision is lost, it’s permanent. As much as 40% of vision can be lost without a person noticing.

The optic nerve acts like an electric cable, carrying images from the eye to the brain. When glaucoma strikes, the optic nerve is damaged, which can slowly cause loss of peripheral vision and lead to “tunnel” vision. In its most advanced forms, glaucoma leads to total blindness.

The best way to protect your sight from glaucoma is to get a comprehensive eye examination. After age 65, doctors recommend a vision check every six to 12 months. The vision loss caused by glaucoma is permanent, but caught early, further damage can be prevented through treatment. Glaucoma medications slow the progression of vision loss by reducing elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) to prevent damage to the optic nerve. Surgical treatments are also available.

According to the World Health Organization, glaucoma is the second leading cause of blindness in the world, and is the leading cause of preventable blindness, so talk to your friends and family about glaucoma and make sure they realize that symptoms can be hard to notice. You can help raise awareness by reading up on glaucoma at the Glaucoma Research Foundation’s website.