BLACKMAN ELEMENTARY NURSE NEWS
Shelly Tilton, RN
February is American Heart Health Awareness Month!
Know Your Numbers and What They Mean For Your Health
CHOLESTEROL is a type of fat found in your blood. You need cholesterol to help your brain, skin, and other organs grow and work the way they should. Your liver makes cholesterol for your body (about 75%). The remaining 25% comes from the foods we eat – especially animal products.
Goal: ≤ 200
LDL (low-density lipoproteins), or “lousy” cholesterol, can lead to buildup of cholesterol in the arteries. In general, the lower the LDL the better.
Goal: ≤ 100
HDL (high-density lipoproteins), or “healthy” cholesterol, helps remove cholesterol from your body. In general, the higher the HDL the better.
Goal: ≥ 60
How can you IMPROVE your cholesterol levels?
- Don’t smoke
- Exercise most days of the week (brisk walking for 30 minutes/day is a good goal)
- Eat plenty of fruits, fresh veggies, and whole grains-- THINK FIBER!
- Increase monounsaturated fats in your diet. These include canola oil, avocado, nuts, and olive oil.
- Take prescribed cholesterol-lowering medication
Fun Heart FACTS:
- The average Human Heart beats 72 times a minute.
- That’s about 100,000 times a day and 40 million times a year!
- Approximately 2,000 gallons of blood move throughout the body each day.
- It takes about 20 seconds to circulate blood throughout the entire vascular system.
- Did you know your heart loves when you laugh? A good laugh sends 20% more blood through your body!
- An adult female heart weighs about 8 oz, while an adult male heart weighs about 10 oz.
- Your heart is made up almost entirely of muscle. It is strong enough to lift about 3,000 pounds-that’s about the weight of a small car!
- Your system of blood vessels-arteries, veins, and capillaries-is over 60,000 miles long. That’s long enough to go around the world more than twice!
How Old is Your Child's Heart?
How old is your heart? (40 sec. PSA)