Americans seem to be in love with love, or at least with expressions of love. That is why Valentine’s Day has turned into one of the most popular and expensive holidays in the United States.
It was expected that Americans would spend almost $17 billion this year showing their significant other or newfound love interest just how much they care: 188 million greeting cards will be exchanged, 189 million roses will be sent out -- all meant to make your heart skip a beat. Now, if only people spent that much time, effort and money on taking care of their heart’s health.
February is American Heart Month. Yeah, it’s kind of cute how they link that to Valentine’s Day, but it would be a mistake to think of it as just another proclamation by the president and the American Heart Association urging people to be more conscientious about their health. This is one topic we need to really take seriously, because heart disease is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.
Whether you are male or female, young or old, White, African-American or Latino, you are at risk of suffering from heart disease. It is an illness that does not discriminate. It can strike at any time, often with no warning. Of course, some people are at higher risk than others: those who smoke, are obese, don’t exercise much, have high blood pressure or a family history of heart problems, not to mention those with stressful lives, which significantly increases the amount of potential victims.
Women are particularly prone to heart disease, even younger women. Ten thousand women between the ages of 29 and 44 have a heart attack each year. One in three women will eventually die of cardiac problems or a stroke. What women need to be aware of is that the symptoms of heart disease are different for us than they are for men. Something as simple as fatigue, back or neck pain, loss of appetite, anxiety or flulike symptoms could very well mean you are on the verge of a heart attack.
Heart disease and stroke are also the top causes of death among Hispanic Americans. The American Heart Association says that almost 30 percent of all deaths among Latinos are a result of cardiovascular-related illnesses.
Unfortunately, we don’t think about heart attacks or strokes too often. Those are things that we think happen to others -- not to us. Not to our family. Not to our loved ones. That is what my friend Teresa thought when her husband, Tony, went jogging one summer morning in 2002.
Tony was tall, dark, handsome and healthy. He had regular checkups, exercised often, played golf. At 54 years old, he was seemingly in great shape. But when he returned from his morning jog, he broke into a cold sweat and became short of breath, and within minutes he was gone. His heart stopped. Because Tony’s father had also died of a heart attack in his 50s, that puts his sons at higher risk. My parents both died of a cardiovascular-related illness, which puts my sisters and me at higher risk. It is a vicious circle.
Those who believe in destiny think that when it’s your time to go, nothing can stop it from happening. I wouldn’t want to get into a philosophical discussion about destiny, but when it comes to heart disease, there is no doubt that educating yourself about the causes and possible ways to prevent it from striking could save your life. So this Valentine’s Day month, as you take care of your heart, take care of your heart’s health too.

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(Maria Elena Salinas is the author of “I AM MY FATHER’S DAUGHTER: LIVING A LIFE WITHOUT SECRETS.” Reach her at www
.mariaesalinas.com)
© 2007 by Maria Elena Salinas