In February, hearts are everywhere, but we often overlook that it’s Heart Health Awareness month.

In honor of February being Heart Health Awareness month, it’s important that college students know different ways to prevent heart disease. There are several preventative measures that even college kids can be taking to ensure a stronger heart.

Common factors that contribute to heart disease include smoking, poor nutrition and lack of exercise. Different ways to combat these issues include watching what you put into your body and increasing physical activity.

The LSU Health Center is a great places right here on campus that offers services such as nutrition counseling to help students form a better diet. These counselors will personally help students construct daily meal plans for students who struggle with eating healthy.

LSU Student Luke Derstine has a heart disease and offers ways for others to protect their heart. He stresses how important it is to eat gut healthy foods and to incorporate exercise into his day to day schedule. He suggests that all LSU students do the same.