Prevention has been on many minds these days in relation to COVID-19. People have been "masking-up" for months, been vigilant about handwashing, and keeping appropriate "social distance" from others. It is amazing how quickly people adapted their lifestyles to prevent the spread of this disease. Just as COVID-19 has taken far too many loved ones this year, cancer also affects a massively large population annually, and there are steps that can be taken to help prevent cancer. 

According to the National Cancer Institute, in 2020, an estimated 1,806,590 new cases of cancer will be diagnosed in the United States and 606,520 people will die from the disease. Studies done by the American Institute of Cancer Research have shown that up to one third of the most common cancers in the United States are in fact preventable. While it’s impossible to prevent all cancers, it’s important to know how you can reduce your risk factors.

The heart is the workhorse of the body. Based on averages, most of our hearts will provide us with about 3 billion beats in a lifetime. The heart is one hard working muscle. Just as we take care of our muscles after a tough workout with ice, heat or a good stretch, there are also ways we can take care of our heart. In honor of February being American Heart Month, here are a few strategies that can help you take good care of that hard-working heart!