February is the month that help raise awareness about the organ that keeps the blood flowing and the whole body working. That’s right…your heart!

The American Heart Association started the annual month of awareness back in 1963. Their rational behind it was inspired by the ever-popular Valentine’s Day celebration. They decided since Valentine’s Day was associated with hearts, they should also raise awareness about heart heath. During the month of February, American Heart Association provides communities with education that helps all age groups learn on how to take care of their heart.

This year’s topic for American Heart Month is ‘Let’s Talk About Cholesterol’. Did you know 1 in 3 adults in the United States has high cholesterol which puts someone at risk of heart disease and stroke? It’s true. You are probably currently wondering where Kane Senior Council falls into this year’s American Heart Month? Well, let us start by defining what cholesterol is.

Cholesterol is a waxy like substance that can be found in your blood which is caused by fat. Some cholesterol in your blood is healthy for you to have but too much of the waxy substance can lead to high cholesterol. High cholesterol is unhealthy and can lead to heart disease. A poor diet filled with saturated fats is the highest leading factor in high cholesterol.

Now that we established what cholesterol is and what causes it, let’s talk about how Kane Senior Council can prevent it.

How Kane Senior Council Helps Seniors With Their Cholesterol?

Our caterer at Hoffman House and our on-staff dietician make sure all the meals we serve our seniors are low-salt, diabetic friendly and, of course, low cholesterol. This means that the saturated fat content is kept to a minimum. Each meal is the perfect portion for our seniors and follows the 1/3 Dietary Reference Intake established by the U.S. Government and provides the nutritional needs of our seniors. Diet is one of the major factors in maintaining a healthy cholesterol level. We are proud to provide meals that aide in a senior’s heart health.

We provide home delivered meals and community dining to make obtaining a heart healthy meal easier. Seniors can get one of these delicious meals delivered to their door through our Home Delivered Meal Service or at one of our Community Dining locations. Qualifications for these services include being 60 years or older and live in Kane County!

But we don’t just stop there when it comes to making sure our seniors are living a heart healthy life! We also offer a Health & Wellness Education Service. Our Health and Wellness Education Service provides knowledge to all senior who participate, including information about eating right. Educational materials are provided by health care organization, nutrition providers and senior experts.

So Happy American Heart Month. We hope that everyone has a great February and continues to try to live a heart healthy lifestyle!

For more information about our Home Delivered Meals or to ask about the food we serve the seniors in Kane County, please visit our Home Delivered Meals page or drop us an EMAIL.