Skip to page content
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
  • Independent LivingExpand Independent Living section
    • Overview
    • Services & Amenities
    • Resident Programs
    • Dining
    • Wellness
    • What is a Life Plan Community?
    • Neighborhood
    • Future Residents Club
    • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
    • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
  • Health ServicesExpand Health Services section
    • Overview
    • Assisted Living
    • Skilled Nursing
    • Memory Care
    • Rehabilitation
  • Home CareExpand Home Care section
    • Overview
    • 5-Star Care
    • Westchester County, NY
    • Fairfield County, CT
    • FAQ
    • Resources
  • FoundationExpand Foundation section
    • Overview
    • What We Fund
    • Ways to Give
    • Community Relations
    • Foundation FAQ
    • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
    • Foundation Blog / Events
  • About The OsbornExpand About The Osborn section
    • Overview
    • Leadership
    • Board of Trustees
    • Accreditations
    • Brochures
    • Gallery and Video
    • FAQ
The Osborn
Call us at 888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Home
  • Independent Living
  • Health Services
  • Home Care
  • Foundation
  • About The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
  • Call us
Independent Living
  • Overview
  • Services & Amenities
  • Resident Programs
  • Dining
  • Wellness
  • What is a Life Plan Community?
  • Neighborhood
  • Future Residents Club
  • Residences Overview
    • Residence Features
    • Available Units
    • Floor Plans
    • Community Map
  • Pricing
    • Understanding the Cost
    • Cost Calculator
    • The Cost of Waiting
Health Services
  • Overview
  • Assisted Living
  • Skilled Nursing
  • Memory Care
  • Rehabilitation
Home Care
  • Overview
  • 5-Star Care
  • Westchester County, NY
  • Fairfield County, CT
  • FAQ
  • Resources
Foundation
  • Overview
  • What We Fund
  • Ways to Give
  • Community Relations
  • Foundation FAQ
  • Donate to The Osborn Foundation
  • Foundation Blog / Events
About The Osborn
  • Overview
  • Leadership
  • Board of Trustees
  • Accreditations
  • Brochures
  • Gallery and Video
  • FAQ
The Osborn The Osborn
  • Contact
  • Events
  • Careers
  • Donate
  • News & Blog
888-609-7509 Request a Tour
Page Content
Back to Blog
Previous Post Next Post

American Heart Month: Putting Your Heart in the Right Place

February 1, 2021
Heart Month

~ by Carol Vartuli

Did you know there are at least 70 different idiomatic expressions formed with the word heart?  

“I learned it by heart,” “My heart sank,” “He’s all heart,” and “She’s young at heart”  are just a few.

How did we come to use the word ‘heart’ so many ways?

It likely reaches back to the ancient Greeks who believed the heart was the center of intelligence, memory, and emotion. In fact, in the fourth century B.C., Aristotle described the heart as being the most important organ in the body, while nearby brain and lungs existed to cool it!

Centuries later, the heart’s role as a major pump, or engine for the body was well understood, but its metaphysical attributes remained well-entrenched in language.

The Modern Heart

Although not the center of intelligence and memory, as once thought, the heart is a most vital organ, and prone to serious illness and failure. Heart disease still remains the number one cause of death in the United States.

That’s not for lack of medical knowledge. Doctors know exactly how the heart works and what damages it. They can replace faulty valves, bypass clogged arteries, and transplant healthy human hearts into patients whose own hearts are failing. Yet, heart disease claims more than 655,000 American each year— that’s 1 in every 4 deaths, according to the CDC.

Research continues to increase our understanding about whom heart disease affects, and how. For example, we now know that heart attacks affect women differently than men. Women may experience symptoms of pain in the back, arm, neck, or shoulder; nausea; fatigue; shortness of breath; or vomiting.

Surprisingly, younger women are at higher risk than men in the same age group. Women under the age of 50 are twice as likely to die of a heart attack as men.

Learning by Heart

About 80 percent of cardiovascular disease could be prevented if people took control and followed these everyday healthy living steps:

  • Eating nutritious food
  • Doing regular physical activity
  • Maintaining healthy body weight
  • Not smoking
  • Controlling blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood glucose levels

Imagine deducting 80 percent from 655,000 — or saving 524,000 lives a year!

That won’t come from medical treatment-- but prevention. Each February since 1964 has been observed as American Heart Month, in which the medical community encourages us to accept and act on the realities of heart disease.

Year round, the American Heart Association (https://www.heart.org/) serves up a wealth of current information, including:

  • Explanations and pictures about heart disease and stroke, and clear indicates how to recognize symptoms of heart attack.
  • Easy, specific guides for losing weight, eating heart-healthy meals, and getting sufficient exercise.
  • An online support network for people living with heart disease, to share their experiences and connect with others.

Whether you currently suffer from heart disease, or want to avoid it, your heart health depends on your brain’s ability to embrace a healthier lifestyle.

This month, why not set your heart on keeping your engine strong? It’ll not only do your heart good, but your entire body as well.

The information in the above article is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

More Posts

  • How Gardening Boosts Wellness, Strength, and Purpose for Seniors

    May 15, 2025

    There’s something timeless about tending to a garden. The feel of the soil, the rhythm of planting and watering, the quiet reward of seeing things grow, all have a way of slowing us down, grounding...

  • The Benefits of Senior Rehabilitation: Regaining Strength, Confidence, and Independence

    April 15, 2025

    Aging gracefully means adapting to life’s changes—but sometimes, those changes involve a health setback that affects how you feel day to day. Whether from an illness, injury, or surgery...

  • International Women's Month

    March 15, 2025

    ~ by Carol Vartuli

    A March Challenge

    Who originated the concept of a cotton gin and helped solve the mechanical problems encountered by patent-holder Eli Whitney (1794...

More From the Blog

Request a Tour

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org

This form is for use by individuals seeking information about Osborn or Osborn Home Care services ONLY. Please do not use this form for any other correspondence. Before submitting an information request please note the following:

  1. The Osborn is not a provider of low income/subsidized housing programs.
  2. The Osborn and Osborn Home Care are not Medicaid service providers.
  3. Current job openings and employment applications are posted on our careers page. Please do not use this form for employment questions.
  4. Any other question can be referred to marketing@theosborn.org
Learn about Careers at the Osborn
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • About
  • Events
  • News & Blog
  • Contact
  • Pricing
  • Privacy Policy
  • Donate
  • Careers
US News Best Nursing Homes - Long-Term Care 2025 US News Best Nursing Homes - Short-Term Rehabilitation 2025 Newsweek America's Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities 2024
The Osborn 101 Theall Rd Rye, NY 10580 914-201-9500
2024 CMS Skilled Nursing Facility Overall Rating 3 Stars Health Inspection 3 Stars Staffing 4 Stars Quality Measures 4 Stars
© 2025 The Osborn All Rights Reserved
The Osborn is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a member of Novare.org
Equal Housing Opportunity
Wheelchair Accessible
Pet Friendly
Programmed and Managed by Piszko Design