Whole-person Wellness Blog: Heart Health and Eating Disorder Awareness months
Awareness months in February brings opportunities to learn
February is American Heart Month and Eating Disorder Awareness Month. Melissa Germano, our director of lifestyle and preventive medicine, and I are collaborating on an information-packed blog this month.
Heart disease, impacting nearly half of American adults, remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Meanwhile, eating disorders contribute to approximately 10,200 deaths per year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Despite their severity, these deaths often unacknowledged, overshadowed by misconceptions and societal stigma.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease is an umbrella term for any condition that affects the structure or function of the heart. These can range from atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, to coronary artery disease, which usually involves blockages in the heart’s vital blood vessels, heart arrhythmias, irregular heartbeats, congenital issues, and heart failure.
There are many racial and socioeconomic disparities in cardiovascular health. Structural and systemic barriers continue to disproportionately affect Black, Hispanic, Indigenous, Asian, and other people of color. Surprisingly, women are more likely than men to be affected by heart disease.

While most of us know that non-medical factors known as socioeconomic determinants of health can also affect people’s health, did you know that poor quality of life is linked to poor cardiovascular health and an increased mortality rate? Several studies published in American Heart Association journals show a three-fold increase in cardiovascular disease rates for people with poor quality of life compared to the general population.
These are some stark statistics, but we can take steps to improve our health care system and our communities, including taking our own biases into account, educating ourselves, and continuing to fight against injustices that many face related to cardiovascular health.
Reducing your risk
According to the American Heart Association, 80% of cardiovascular disease can be prevented by changing your lifestyle. Improve your heart health by following these tips:
- Get active: Aim for around 150 minutes of weekly activity. It not only helps you reduce your risk for a heart attack, but it also helps you reduce stress and manage your blood pressure and cholesterol. Take steps to engage in a movement that you enjoy!
- Embrace a colorful plate: Include a variety of fruits and vegetables in your meals. Colorful produce is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support heart health. Aim for a rainbow of colors on your plate, from leafy greens to berries and carrots.
- Eat more healthy fats. Eating foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat can improve blood cholesterol levels and lower your risk of heart disease. Consume Omega-3 fatty acids daily from fatty fish such as salmon, trout, or herring or from flaxseed, kale, spinach, or walnuts. Other sources of healthy fats include olive oil, avocados, nuts, and nut butters.
- Focus on high-fiber foods: Women should eat 25 grams of fiber per day, while men should target about 38 grams per day. The average American only eats around 15 grams daily. Incorporate whole grains such as wheat bread or quinoa.
- Prioritize lean proteins: Choose lean protein sources like fish, beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and tofu. Plant-based proteins are a great choice since they contain beneficial fiber and no saturated fat.
- Reduce your stress levels: Try healthy ways to relax, including listening to music, exercising, dancing, meditation, yoga, journaling, deep breathing exercises, making time to laugh, and caring for your spiritual needs.
Finally, follow the ABCS for heart health.
- Ask your doctor if aspirin can reduce your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
- Control your blood pressure. Find out what your blood pressure numbers are, and ask your health care professional what those numbers mean for your health.
- Manage your cholesterol. Talk to your health care professional about cholesterol and how you can lower your cholesterol if it’s too high.
- Stop smoking. Smoking increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. If you are a smoker, quitting is considered to be the single best thing you can do to improve your health.
Some resources and events
- National Wear Red Day: Friday, Feb. 7, is an iconic day for American Heart Month. On the first Friday in February, don some red and help raise awareness about the No. 1 killer of women: cardiovascular disease.
- Northeast PA Heart Walk: Consider registering for this fun, family-friendly event in Moosic in May. The Heart Walk brings our community together to get active, raise life-saving funds, and support the mission of the American Heart Association. Whether you’re a seasoned walker or just looking for a great day out, join us to celebrate heart health, honor survivors, and remember loved ones affected by heart disease and stroke.
- Check out these heart-healthy recipes from the American Heart Association.
What is an eating disorder?
Eating disorders are the second leading cause of death in mental health disorders and can affect individuals as young as 5 years old. There are many risk factors and links between eating disorders and substance use disorder, as well as direct links to suicidality.
Risk factors include:
- Biological: A close relative with an eating disorder or mental health disorder, history of dieting in the household, or rigid rules around food.
- Psychological: Perfectionism, impulsivity, emotional dysregulation, or a history of mental health/substance use disorder.
- Sociocultural: Dieting culture, bullying, history of trauma, or a lack of social supports.
Read more at www.nationaleatingdisorders.org.
Myth or fact?
- People with a normal body weight cannot have an eating disorder.
- Eating disorders are just about food.
- Eating disorders only affect women.
- Eating disorders are just a phase.
All four statements are MYTHS.

1. Only 6% of those with eating disorders are underweight. The stigma around body size and portrayals in pop culture perpetuates many of the misconceptions about eating disorders.
2. Eating disorders are often rooted in biological, psychological, and sociocultural causes. It can be a way to control or negatively regulate emotions.
3. Eating disorders can impact people of all genders, ages, races, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, body shapes, and weight.
4. Eating disorders are very serious illnesses, which can be deadly if left untreated.
Read more about eating disorder myths here.
Having gone through my own journey with bulimia, I check in with my body on a daily basis. The media and society often portray and glorify eating disorders, celebrating those who lose weight. How do we know if they are suffering from an illness or stress, or if the weight loss is unhealthy?
A resource that has been incredibly helpful to me personally and as the associate vice president of health and wellness is the principles of intuitive eating. You can read more here. Shifting our thoughts and perceptions around food and not labeling it as “good” or “bad” but simply part of our life, culture, family traditions, and celebrations has also helped me develop a healthier relationship with my body and food.
What are ways in which you can develop a healthier and more positive relationship with yourself? Take a moment to check in, and remember you are a temple, a vessel, and much more than just your physical body.
Thank you,

Allison LaRussa, BA, CPS, RYT
Associate Vice President, Health and Wellness

Melissa Germano, M.S., RD, LDN
Director of Lifestyle Modification and Preventive Medicine