When you think of February, you may think of love, roses, and Valentine’s Day. While all this is true, February is also about heart health as well. In honor of Heart Awareness Month in February, Kona Community Hospital in Kealakekua, HI, will be hosting a series of events to raise community awareness about heart disease and heart health. To get you in the spirit, here are some little-known facts about your heart health from the experts at Kona Hospital:

• Stand Up & Get Out: If you want to stay heart healthy, it might make sense to cut back on driving and watching T.V. It’s not the activities themselves that are harmful, but rather the fact that they keep you seated and sedentary. Being seated for hours and hours at a time can lead to heart issues later in life.
• Eat Like An Italian: The Mediterranean diet emphasizes eating foods like fish, fruits, vegetables, beans, high-fiber grains, and olive oils rich with monounsaturated fats, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies suggest people with heart disease who follow this diet can prevent heart attacks, and that it’s good for your heart even without weight loss.
• Cup Of Joe: Studies show that coffee drinkers are less likely to be hospitalized or worried about heart rhythm disturbances, despite caffeine in coffee making the heart beat faster. Researchers found that those who reported drinking four or more cups of coffee each day had an 18% lower risk of hospitalization for heart rhythm disturbances. Those who reported drinking one to three cups each day had a 7% reduction in risk.

Hopefully these facts made you excited for more next month. Stay tuned for more information on events to come, or call Kona Community Hospital at (808) 322-9311 for more information. You can also learn more by checking the calendar on the hospital's website, where you'll also find information on the hospital's health care and services.