It’s Heart Health Month!

6 March, 2020

February is Heart Healthy Month! Free Cholesterol Testing at RAC

Love your heart and your loved ones this month! February is American Heart Month as sponsored by the American Heart Association, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the CDC) and Million Hearts.

Did you know that 1 in 4 deaths in the United States are caused by heart disease? Did you know that these numbers are preventable? Raintree Athletic Club would like to support Heart Month in its goal of preventing 1 million heart attacks and strokes by 2017.

Join us in the club on Thursday, February 25th from 8:00-11:00am when we will be offering FREE cholesterol testing to residents of Northern Larimer County*. This service is provided by the Health District of Northern Larimer County.

Fasting and non-fasting tests will be provided. An eight-hour fast is recommended for best results. Appointments are recommended but not required: Call the Health District at (970) 224-5209 to register. Walk-ins will be accepted on a space-available basis.

A registered nurse will check your blood pressure, assess your risk for diabetes and heart attack, explain the test results, and provide follow-up recommendations and health education materials within 15-20 minutes.

*Free for residents of The Health District of Northern Larimer County (includes Fort Collins, Timnath, Wellington, Laporte, Bellevue, Livermore and Red Feather Lakes). The cost for all others is $15. Results for total cholesterol; HDL, LDL, triglycerides and blood glucose (glucose for fasting tests only) are obtained by a finger stick test.

In addition to getting tested, learn to make small changes in your own household to manage blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

  • Use spice varieties instead of salt to season your meals (citruses, like lemon, are especially flavorful).
  • Make physical activities a part of your daily routine — even if that means taking the dog out for a longer walk, shoveling a neighbor’s walk, or playing outside with your kids.
  • Check your blood pressure whenever you can: at home with home testing sets, at the pharmacy where testing machines are available, and at the doctor’s office. If you don’t understand the numbers, just ask!
  • If you or someone you love smokes, urge them to quit!

More resources are available online here:

This month, focus on your heart. Your loved ones will thank you for it!