More than 70 million Americans live with some form of heart disease, which means that this disease is the leading cause of death in this country.
   Some form of heart disease claims the lives of 20,000 people a year in Texas alone. In Fort Worth, 611 lives are claimed each year.
   So what does this mean for students at TCC? They need to be aware and help raise awareness.
   February is American Heart Month, and the City of Fort Worth Public Health Department will present “Heart Truth,” a program focusing on the risks of heart disease.
   The program will give guidance on how to eat healthier and offer referrals to free testing sites for blood pressure and cholesterol screenings.
   “ Heart Truth” will be Friday, Feb. 17, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Public Health Center, 1800 University Drive, room 116.
   The health department designed the program because prevention is key to avoid becoming one of these numbers affected by heart disease.
   “ We [the city of Fort Worth] reinforce our commitment to fighting heart disease by promoting awareness about its risks, its causes and the ways to reduce the chance of developing this deadly illness,” Markena Conway, the department’s health educator, said in a press release.
   Some methods of prevention include not smoking or quitting smoking because smoking doubles the risk of a heart attack; starting an exercise routine to reduce high blood pressure and eating a healthy diet to cut the cholesterol and trim the fat, according the the Fort Worth Public Health Department.
   An all-around healthier lifestyle can greatly reduce the risk of heart disease. For more information and to register for “Heart Truth,” call 817-871-6263.