Sign up today to Leap Into Heart Health at Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital.

News Release

WARSAW — It’s a leap year, and that means people can look forward to an extra day in February — an extra day to enjoy life, be well, and pursue the things that make us happy. And, while an extra day is nice, what if you could add more years to your life?

Caring for your heart is one of the best ways to increase longevity. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the United States, responsible for one in five adult deaths in the U.S each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates one person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease. But there are actions you can take right now to reduce the risk of heart disease.

This February, Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital  is marking American Heart Month and the 2024 leap year with its Leap into Heart Health educational email series. People who sign up will receive short, fun-filled, fact-filled, potentially life-saving emails designed to help improve heart health. Topics include ways to “spring” into action, “skip” past stress, “hurdle” over harmful habits, “hop” into bed earlier for better rest and other “steps” anyone can take toward a stronger, healthier heart.

“Most people can reduce the risk of heart disease by adopting a healthy lifestyle, not smoking, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol and treating high blood pressure,” said Akindolapo, Akinwande, M.D., FACC, a board-certified cardiologist at Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital. “And while this may sound like a lot to manage, in many cases, small adjustments can lead to measurable improvement in heart health.”

President Lyndon B. Johnson declared the first American Heart Month in February 1964. Several years before that, when he was Senate Majority Leader, Johnson was a 60-cigarette-per-day smoker and suffered a near-fatal heart attack. He was only 46 years old. Every U.S. President since has recognized February as American Heart Month and a time to educate Americans about ways to prevent heart disease.

The Leap into Heart Health email series will be delivered to inboxes every other day in February with a short article and heart health tips you can try right away. The series also includes warnings about symptoms and conditions that may indicate you should see a doctor, especially high blood pressure, high cholesterol and genetic predisposition to heart disease.

“At Lutheran Kosciusko Hospital, we are committed to helping people live healthier and, for most of us, that should start with taking better care of our hearts,” says Lynn Mergen, CEO. “People who Leap into Heart Health with us this February will find the email content takes only a couple of minutes to read each day, but the advice is fun, sometimes surprising, always informative, and it can be life-saving. I hope everyone will sign up.”

To “Leap into Heart Health,” sign up at lutheranhealth.net/heart-challenge