February is American Heart Month. Make sure that you are taking care of your heart during these cold temperatures. Did you know that the cold can be life threatening for anyone with coronary heart disease? Most heart attacks are caused from a condition called atherosclerosis. During the cold months, your body takes steps in making sure that your body stays warm, but it may also raises your heart rate and blood pressure in the process. While a person with a healthy heart has no problem tolerating these conditions, someone with atherosclerosis could have a heart attack because of this.
To protect yourself from the cold, make sure that you avoid sudden exertion in the cold, wear a lot of layers to keep your body warm, make an effort to keep your hands, feet, and head all warm, and take precautions against the cold and flu.