Honoring the Gift of Heart Health for American Indians

Section One - Knowledge Is Power: Know Your Risk for Heart Disease

You Have the Power To Protect and Improve Your Heart Health!
What You Need To Know About Heart Disease
Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?
Lower Your Risk for Heart Disease

You Have the Power To Protect and Improve Your Heart Health!

The Amazing Heart

Your heart is one of your strongest muscles. It pumps blood through miles of blood vessels to all parts of your body. The heart is so important, you want to keep it healthy. When the heart stops, life stops.

Heart Disease Is a Growing Problem Among American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Grandma Mary of the Wisdom family will show you how she and her family take care of their hearts. Mary Wisdom: "A long time ago, our ancestors were very active-walking, running, hunting, picking berries, hauling wood and water. They took care of their animals and had to do other things just to survive. Our ancestors did not smoke commercial cigarettes. Today, we have more demands and are less active. This change in lifestyle has caused our people to have an increased chance of getting heart disease."

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Public Health Service
National Institutes of Health
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
NIH Publication No. 08-6340
June 2008