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American Heart Association volunteer experts issue annual list of the leading heart disease and stroke research for 2022

January 2023 calendar

Is getting healthier in 2023 one of your New Year’s Resolutions? Life’s Essential 8 can help with a few easy steps you can take to live a healthier lifestyle.

Eat Better

Be More Active

Quit Tobacco

Get Healthy Sleep

Manage Weight

Control Cholesterol

Manage Blood Sugar

Manage Blood Pressure


Learn more about Life’s Essential 8 here

Fruits and Veggies

Life's Essential 8 - How to Eat Better Fact Sheet

Walking - two women and dog - outside trackLife's Essential 8 - How to Be More Active Fact Sheet
Hand holding cigaretteLife's Essential 8 - How to Quit Tobacco Fact Sheet
Woman nappingLife's Essential 8 - How to Get Healthy Sleep Fact Sheet

Check out all of Life's Essential 8 Fact Sheets here.

Neighbors clearing snow
Research shows ‘tis also the season of weight gain, added stress, and a spike in cardiovascular events like sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack and stroke.

Latest News:
Heart and lungs illustration


Heart attack signs may vary in men and women and it’s important to catch them early and call 9-1-1 for help.
The sooner medical treatment begins, the better the chances of survival and preventing heart damage.

Woman getting flu shot

Some easy ways to stop the spread of viruses like the flu:

Wash your hands often with soap and water. Rub your hands vigorously for at least 20 seconds. (About the time it takes to sing “Happy Birthday.”) Remember to scrub the backs of your hands, wrists, between your fingers and under your fingernails.
Adults need shots, too: Find out which vaccines are important for heart health
Stress Strain Body Brain Infographic

January 2nd is International Mind-Body Wellness Day

Mental health can positively or negatively impact your physical health and risk factors for heart disease and stroke, according to “Psychological Health, Well-Being, and the Mind-Heart-Body Connection,” a scientific statement in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.

Stress may contribute to poor health behaviors linked to increased risk for heart disease and stroke, such as:

  • Smoking
  • Overeating
  • Lack of physical activity
  • Unhealthy diet
  • Being overweight
  • Not taking medications as prescribed
A stressful situation sets off a chain of events. Your body releases adrenaline, a hormone that temporarily causes your breathing and heart rate to speed up and your blood pressure to rise. These reactions prepare you to deal with the situation — the “fight or flight” response.

More stress reduction tips | infographic text

Fresh fruit
New Year's Resolution: Eating Smart
It's National Staying Healthy Month, National Obesity Awareness Week (10th) and National Healthy Weight Week (16th)
Multigeneration family dinner

New Year's Resolution: More family time

Parents say family is less stressed when they eat together



January Calendar Highlights

National Staying Healthy Month | National Pre-Pregnancy Month | National Blood Donor Month

  • 1/1/2023 - New Year’s Day
  • 1/2 - International Mind-Body Wellness Day
  • 1/10-16 - National Obesity Awareness Week
  • 1/11 - Cigarettes are Hazardous to Your Health Day | National Take the Stairs Day
  • 1/15-21 - National Healthy Weight Week
  • 1/16 - Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Day
  • 1/20 - National Take a Walk Outdoors Day
  • 1/27 - Holocaust Memorial Day

American Heart Association Scientific meetings:

Media Registration is now open for the International Stroke Conference 2023 - Join us for the in-person event + Virtual Experience, February 8-10, 2023 - Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center | Dallas, Texas | Media registration info and link

View the full list and links to each of the accredited scientific meetings of the American Heart Association here.

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