It’s American Heart Awareness Month!

February is American Heart Awareness Month, so there’s no better time to take stock of your heart health. Cardiovascular disease, also known as “heart disease”, is the leading cause of death in the United States. Each day 2,200 people die from heart diseases. That’s nearly 800,000 each year, or 1 in every 3 deaths. Heart disease inhibits people from working and greatly hinders quality of life.

The good news is that most of the risk factors for heart disease and stroke — like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, smoking and obesity — are preventable and controllable. Managing these risk factors can reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke as much as 80%.

If you’re a healthcare professional passionate about cardiovascular health, consider bringing your skills to VA. There are several ways to use your talents to improve the health of our Veterans:

• Our Nutrition and Food Services develops personalized programs crucial to preventing disease.
• Registered Dietetic Technicians provide a nutrition education for Veterans and help them prevent and manage an array of health issues like diabetes, heart disease, and weight management.
• Our revered Dietetic Internship Program is a unique opportunity to learn alongside highly qualified professionals.
• Physical Therapists at VA profoundly improve Veteran health, mobility, confidence and independence.
• The Office of Research and Development works diligently to develop new cardiovascular treatments.

Explore all the opportunities in your area and discover how your skills can improve heart health today!