The month of February, known as National Heart Month, is an opportunity to focus on cardiovascular
health and wellness. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Hawai‘i, and it causes more than 18,000 hospitalizations in the state each year.1 Take time this month to consider opportunities to eat smart, get active and develop healthy habits. To get you started, several of our Queen’s Heart Institute cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons shared their words of advice for prioritizing your heart.
Surround yourself with positivity. Find a group of like-minded people to support your health and
fitness journey. – Dr. Helaine Kwong
Commitment to being fit paves the road to a healthy heart. – Dr. Mike Tanoue
Eat to live, don’t live to eat. Just because it tastes good doesn’t mean it’s good for you. – Dr. Kevin
Salire
We can’t have good cardiovascular health without the CARDIO. Make it fun. – Dr. Mahdi VeilletChowdhury
Use it or lose it – so keep your mind and body active to stay healthy and strong. – Dr. Alan Kuo
Your greatest wealth is your health, make sure to take care of it, and adopt moderation in
everything you do. – Dr. Omar Abdul-Ghani
Stop smoking and keep walking. This will keep your lungs and heart in better shape. – Dr. Ayman
Abdul-Ghani
Take a minute every hour while awake to breathe SLOWLY and DEEPLY—this will ensure the brain, HEART and all other vital organs receive oxygen and DE-STRESS. – Dr. Peter Tsai
Small, daily healthy habits can lead to a long-lasting impact for your heart. Approximately 80 percent of cardiovascular disease is preventable.2
It is never too late to start making changes. Consider adding a few of these tips from our Queen’s physicians to your lifestyle in recognition of National Heart Month.
1 https://hhsp.hawaii.gov/assets/pdf/Coordinated%20HHSP_FINAL_WEB.pdf
2 https://www.heart.org/en/get-involved/advocate/federal-priorities/cdc-prevention-programs
