To urge Americans to join the battle against cardiovascular diseases, Congress and the President proclaim February "American Heart Month." Cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of American men and women. More of our health care dollars — both nationally and at E.ON U.S. — go toward the treatment of cardiovascular disease than any other disease.

There are many steps each of us can take to prevent and manage circulatory disease and to live a long, healthy life.

Celebrate "Heart Month" this year by determining your risk for developing heart disease and learning how to reduce your risk factors.


What's Your Risk Profile?

Risk factors for heart disease are typically labeled "uncontrollable" or "controllable." The main uncontrollable risk factors are older age, male gender, family history of heart disease, and race. (Statistics show that, on average, blacks and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than whites.)

Even if you have uncontrollable risk factors for heart disease, it doesn't mean that you can't take steps to limit your risk. Researchers say that controllable risk factors — smoking, physical inactivity, overweight or obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes — are all major influences on the development and severity of heart disease.


Reduce Your Risk

Ways to reduce your risk factors for heart disease include:

• Quit tobacco. Tobacco users have more than twice the risk for heart attack than non users?and are much more likely to die if they suffer a heart attack. Tobacco use also is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease. If you use tobacco, quit. E.ON U.S.'s Wellness Program helps employees, retirees, and their spouses become tobacco-free. Our "Well...Stop!" Program is designed to allow you to choose the cessation program or technique — patches, gum, group support programs, hypnosis — that will work best for you.
• Get active. Many of us lead sedentary lives, exercising infrequently or not at all. People who don't exercise have higher rates of circulatory disease and death compared to people who perform even mild to moderate amounts of physical activity. Even leisure-time activities like gardening or walking can lower your risk of heart disease. The Company's Wellness Program helps employees and their eligible family members get active through the Fitness Incentive Program.
• Eat right. Eat a heart-healthy diet low in fat and cholesterol. Try to increase the amounts of vitamins you eat, especially antioxidants, which have been proven to lower your risk for heart disease.
• Achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight puts significant strain on your heart and worsens several other heart disease risk factors, such as diabetes. Research is showing that obesity itself increases heart disease risk. E.ON U.S.'s Wellness Program helps employees and their eligible family members achieve a healthy weight through the Weight Loss Incentive Program.
• Manage stress. Poorly controlled stress and anger can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Use stress and anger management techniques to lower your risk. E.ON U.S.'s Family Assistance Program is a valuable resource for maintaining your mental and emotional health.
• Be informed. If not properly controlled, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can lead to significant circulatory problems. If you are enrolled in an E.ON U.S. medical plan, contact Anthem or UnitedHealthcare's health care management programs to help you maintain your health, control chronic conditions, and understand treatment options and medications to discuss with your physician.