Image emphasizes American Heart Health Month and talks about how it can be preventable. (Heart Health Month/Defense Visual Information Distribution Service/Public Domain Archive/ PDM 1.0 Deed)

February is a time when people are encouraged to focus on their cardiovascular health.

This pivotal point addressing cardiovascular diseases was established by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1964.

Heart disease is the No. 1 leading factor of death of Americans. About 695,000 people die of heart disease annually, according to the New York State Department of Health.

This February, the American Heart Association encourages people to “reclaim your rhythm,” to focus on physical and mental health after the struggles of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to the American Heart Association, a few ways to keep the heart healthy is to get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week, refrain from smoking or vaping, control blood sugar and maintain a healthy weight.

This year, American Heart Health Month renewed focus on CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), which positively impacts someone’s willingness to respond if they are bystanders in a cardiac emergency.

“The problem with heart disease is that the first symptom is often fatal, so do whatever you can now to prevent it,” said freshman Emmalee Cross.

To learn more about how to prevent cardiovascular diseases visit nhlbi.nih.gov.