Healthy Heart

Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death for both males and females in the Unites States with someone dying every 34 seconds as a result. Written a different way, nearly 2,500 Americans die each day from cardiovascular disease. While these numbers may be shocking at first, they should not be overly surprising if you look at health trends across the nation. According to the American Heart Association (2025), nearly 47% of adults live with high blood pressure, 72% of adults are overweight, and roughly 57% of have type 2 diabetes. If you find yourself or a loved one in one (or more) of these statistic groups, it might be time to look at making some lifestyle changes.

Lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease involves making lifestyle changes and managing health conditions. Start out by slowly making changes and gradually work toward a healthier heart. Look at these tips and identify areas you might need to focus to help you get started.

Maintain a Healthy Diet

• Eat heart-healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
• Choose healthy fats (unsaturated fats from olive oil, nuts, and fish) and avoid trans fats.
• Limit processed foods, refined sugars, and high-sodium foods.
• Reduce red and processed meats.

Stay Physically Active

• Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise (e.g., brisk walking, swimming) or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise (e.g., running, cycling) per week.
• Incorporate strength training exercises twice a week.
• Reduce sedentary behavior by taking breaks from sitting every 30–60 minutes.

Manage Weight

• Maintain a healthy BMI (18.5–24.9).
• Reduce abdominal fat, as excess belly fat is linked to a higher risk of heart disease.

Quit Smoking and Limit Alcohol

• Quit smoking completely—tobacco damages blood vessels and increases CVD risk.
• Limit alcohol intake to moderate levels (1 drink/day for women, 2 drinks/day for men).

Reduce Stress

• Practice mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or deep breathing techniques.
• Ensure adequate sleep (7–9 hours per night).

Get Regular Check-Ups

• Monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels regularly.
• Follow your doctor’s advice and take medications as prescribed if needed.

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension’s Dinner Tonight Program is a great resource for healthy, tasty, and budget-friendly recipes. Visit https://dinnertonight.tamu.edu or follow Dinner Tonight on Facebook for daily recipes and health tips.

Having a healthy heart requires a mixture of activities and lifestyle changes. Strive to create a healthy balance between exercise, diet, and lifestyle. If healthy habits are new to you, start out slow by making small changes over time. Healthy habits do not form overnight, so it is important to be patient with your progress.

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. To view upcoming events or additional information please visit https://rains.agrilife.org/ or follow Rains County AgriLife on Facebook.

UDMI. (2025). https://www.udmi.net/cardiovascular-disease-risk/

What is BMI?

Do you ever leave the doctor’s office with more questions than answers? Or maybe you are familiar with a term or measurement the doctor used but need a refresher on what exactly it means or why it is important. Over my next few articles, I will discuss common assessments and terms that might come up at your next checkup. In addition to the focus of this article, Body Mass Index or BMI, look for articles exploring waist circumference, cholesterol types and levels, and blood sugar. 

Doctors and health care professionals use a variety of tools to make health evaluations; BMI is a common assessment tool you may have heard during your last visit. Developed in the mid-1800s, BMI is a simple way of assessing the general health of a person with an average fitness level. BMI was originally developed to evaluate overall populations, rather than an individual assessment, but due to ease of use, it has become a popular tool for health care providers. 

To calculate your BMI, divide your weight by your height squared, then multiply that result by 703. BMI is helpful to doctors because it categorizes patients into four categories (in the US): Underweight = <18.5, Normal weight = 18.5-24.9, Overweight = 25-29.9, and Obese = >30.  For example, if you weight 160 lbs. and you are 5’5” tall, to calculate your BMI you need to divide 160 (your weight in lbs.) by 4225 (height in inches squared or 65x65) and then multiply that by 703; (160/4225) x 703 = 26.6. Your BMI is 26.6 and this classifies you in the overweight category.

BMI is widely used as an overall measure of general health; however, it may provide a slightly skewed assessment for some. Due to the density of muscle vs. fat, an athlete or someone with a high muscle to fat ratio will have a higher BMI than someone of a similar shape and size with less muscle mass. If your calculation lands you in an undesirable category, you may need to address one or more aspects of your diet and/or activity level. Your healthcare provider will be happy to discuss your BMI and any associated actions needed.

In general, BMI is a useful tool. Even if you are not in the normal weight range, you can use the number to compare where you are to where you should be for health purposes. It is always important to remember that people come in all shapes and sizes and one assessment can only give a general idea of health. If you have questions regarding your BMI, talk to your health care provider. Before beginning any exercise, program or changing your physical activity patterns, you should always consult your health care provider. 

If you have questions or concerns, please contact me, (903) 473-4580 or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. To view upcoming events or additional information please visit https://rains.agrilife.org/ or follow Rains County AgriLife on Facebook.

Body Mass Index

Medical News Today, 2017

Do you ever leave the doctor’s office with more questions than answers?  Or maybe you are familiar with a term or measurement the doctor used but need a refresher on what exactly it means or why it is important.  Over the next few weeks we will discuss common assessments and terms that might help you at your next visit.  A few topics I will touch on include waist circumference, cholesterol types and levels, and blood sugar.  Our first discussion will look at BMI.   

Doctors use a variety of tools to make health assessments; because of its popularity, you may be familiar with body mass index or BMI.  Developed in the mid-1800s, BMI is a simple way of assessing the general health of a person with an average fitness level.  BMI was originally developed as a tool to evaluate overall populations, rather than an individual assessment, but because of its ease of use, it has become a popular tool in an initial medical evaluation.  

Mathematically, BMI is your body mass divided by your body height squared.  Since this is generally calculated in in the metric system, those of us used to pounds and inches also need to multiply the above result by 703. BMI is helpful to doctors because it categorizes patients into four categories (in the US): Underweight = <18.5, Normal weight = 18.5-24.9, Overweight = 25-29.9, and Obese = >30 (NIH, 2005).  For example, if you weight 160 and you are 5’5” you would divide 160 (weight) by 4225 (height in inches times itself, 65x65) and then multiply that by 703 which equals 26.6.  Your BMI is 26.6 and puts you in the overweight category.  

For some, BMI is known to provide a slightly skewed assessment.  If you are an athlete or have a high muscle to fat ratio, your BMI will be higher than someone of a similar shape and size due to muscle weighing more than fat.  It is always important to remember that people come in all shapes and sizes and one assessment can only give a general idea of health. 

In general, BMI is a useful tool. Even if you are not in the normal weight range, you can use the number to compare where you are to where you should be for health purposes.  If you have questions regarding your BMI, talk to your doctor.  Before beginning any exercise program or changing your physical activity patterns, you should always consult your doctor.  

As always, if you have questions, concerns, or just want to chat, please feel free to come by the Hunt County Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, 2217 Washington Street, Greenville, Texas, 75401, call (903) 455-9885, or email Sarah.Latham@ag.tamu.edu. 

References:

Medical News Today. (2017). http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/info/obesity/what-is-bmi.php
National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2005). National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Aim for a Healthy Weight.  Publication No. 05-5213.