February Is Heart Health Month: What You Need to Know to Protect Your Heart
February is American Heart Month, a time set aside each year to raise awareness about heart disease—the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. While heart disease is common, it is also largely preventable. Small, consistent changes in lifestyle and early screening can make a life-saving difference.
At Aslan Health, Heart Health Month is an opportunity to remind our neighbors that caring for your heart is an essential part of whole-person care—physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
Why Heart Health Matters
Heart disease doesn’t usually appear overnight. It develops slowly over time and is often influenced by factors such as:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes or prediabetes
- Smoking
- Chronic stress
- Poor nutrition
- Lack of physical activity
The good news? Many of these risk factors can be identified early and improved with the right support, education, and care.
Preventive care—regular checkups, basic lab work, and honest conversations with your provider—plays a critical role in protecting your heart long before an emergency occurs.
Heart Disease Looks Different in Women
One of the most important—and often overlooked—heart health facts is this:
Women are commonly underdiagnosed and misdiagnosed when it comes to heart disease and heart attacks.
Heart attack symptoms in women can look different than the “classic” chest-clutching pain often portrayed in movies. Women may experience:
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue or weakness
- Nausea or vomiting
- Jaw, neck, or back pain
- Lightheadedness
- Chest discomfort rather than sharp pain
Because these symptoms can be subtle or mistaken for anxiety, indigestion, or stress, women may delay seeking care—or may not be taken as seriously when they do.
That’s why awareness, early screening, and self-advocacy are especially important for women when it comes to heart health.
The Power of Prevention and Early Screening
You don’t have to wait until something feels “wrong” to care for your heart. Routine screenings can identify risks early, including:
- Blood pressure checks
- Cholesterol screening
- Blood sugar testing
- Weight and BMI assessment
- Lifestyle and family history review
These simple steps help us catch problems early—when they are most treatable—and create a plan that fits your life.
How the Sage Plus Program Supports Heart Health
Aslan Health offers the Sage Plus Program for adults who are uninsured and meet income guidelines, helping remove financial barriers to heart health care and prevention.
Sage Plus is available to women between the ages of 40 and 64 who do not have health insurance and qualify based on household income. The program focuses on identifying heart disease risk early and supporting meaningful lifestyle changes before serious problems develop.
Through Sage Plus, eligible patients may receive:
- Heart disease risk assessments
- Blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes screening
- Education on nutrition, physical activity, stress, and healthy habits
- Support for sustainable lifestyle changes over time
This program is especially important for women, who are often underdiagnosed when it comes to heart disease and heart attack symptoms. By offering preventive screening and education in a trusted clinical setting, Sage Plus helps ensure concerns are addressed early and taken seriously.
If you are uninsured, fall within the age range, and have questions about your heart health, Aslan Health can help determine whether Sage Plus is a good fit for you.
Caring for the Whole Person
At Aslan Health, we believe heart health is about more than numbers on a lab report. It’s about caring for the whole person—body, mind, and spirit.
That includes:
- Addressing stress and emotional health
- Supporting healthy relationships and community
- Encouraging movement and nourishing food
- Offering compassionate, unhurried care
Your heart works hard for you every day. February is the perfect time to return the favor.
Take the Next Step This February
Whether you feel perfectly healthy or have concerns you’ve been putting off, now is a great time to schedule a visit. Early care can prevent serious problems later—and peace of mind is a powerful thing.
If you’re interested in heart health screening or learning more about the Sage Plus Program, contact Aslan Health or stop in for a visit. We’re here to care for our neighbors—every heart, every story, every step of the way.