By Nancy Alexander, PT, CSCS
February is American Heart Month, a time when all people can focus on their cardiovascular health. Did you know that people who have close relationships at home, work, or in their community tend to be healthier and live longer? One reason, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), is that we are more successful at meeting our health goals when we work on them with others.
Our Living Well Academy is a perfect example of how you help support each other in your health and fitness journeys. But since it is February, let’s turn our attention to your heart health and how you can be more fit, together.
Below are seven tips, along with some resources, to inspire you to improve your heart health. Each one shows you how you can join with others, even if you can’t be physically together, to improve your heart health. Why is this so important? Heart disease is a leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Most middle-aged and young adults have one or more risk factors for heart disease, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or being a smoker or overweight. Having multiple risk factors increases your risk for heart disease.
Feeling connected with others and having positive, close relationships benefit your overall health, including your blood pressure and weight. Having people in your life who motivate and care for you helps, as do feelings of closeness and companionship. Follow these heart-healthy lifestyle tips to protect your heart. It will be easier and more successful if you work on them with others, including by texting or phone calls if needed.
Move More
You knew I’d like this one, right? Invite family, friends, colleagues, or members of your community to join you in your efforts to be more physically active:
• Ask a friend to walk “with you” on a regular basis, put the date on both your
calendars, and text or call to make sure you both get out for a walk.
• Get a friend or family member to sign up for the same exercise class whether in-person
or online. Make it a regular date. I know that some of you already do that. Bravo!
Aim for a healthy weight
Find someone in your friend group, at work, or in your family who also wants to reach or maintain a healthy weight. (If you’re overweight, even a small weight loss of 5–10 percent helps your health.) Check in with them regularly to stay motivated. Agree to do healthy activities, like walking or cooking a healthy meal, at the same time, even if you can’t be together. Share low-calorie, low-sodium recipes. Check out NHLBI’s Aim for a Healthy Weight web page for more information.
Eat heart-healthy
We tend to eat like our friends and family, so ask others close to you to join in your effort to eat healthier. Together, try NHLBI’s free Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) eating plan. Research shows that, compared to a typical American diet, it lowers high blood pressure and improves cholesterol levels. Find delicious recipes at NHLBI’s Heart-Healthy Eating web page.
Quit smoking
To help you quit, ask others for support or join an online support group. Research shows that people are much more likely to quit if their spouse, friend, or sibling does. Social support online can help you quit. All states have quit lines with trained counselors—call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669). You’ll find many free resources to help you quit, such as apps, a motivational text service, and a chat line at BeTobaccoFree.hhs.gov. If you need extra motivation to quit, consider those around you: Breathing other people’s smoke, called secondhand smoke, is dangerous. Many adult nonsmokers die of stroke, heart disease, and lung cancer caused by secondhand smoke.
Manage stress
Reducing stress helps your heart health. Set goals with a friend or family member to do a relaxing activity every day, like walking, yoga, meditation, or participate in an online stress-management program together. Physical activity also helps reduce stress. Talk to a qualified mental health provider or someone else you trust for more information.
Improve sleep
Sleeping 7–8 hours a night helps you improve your heart health. Destressing will help you sleep, as does getting a 30-minute daily dose of sunlight. Take a walk instead of a late afternoon nap. Family members and friends: remind each other to turn off the screen and stick to a regular bedtime. Instead of looking at your phone or the TV before bed, relax by listening to music, reading, or taking a bath.
Track Your Heart Health Stats, Together
Keeping a log of your blood pressure, weight goals, physical activity, and if you have diabetes, your blood sugars, will help you stay on a heart-healthy track. Ask your friends or family to join you in the effort. Check out NHLBI’s Healthy Blood Pressure for Healthy Hearts: Tracking Your Numbers worksheet.
With good cardiovascular health, you feel good, you look good, and your energy improves. You can even improve your immune system. Sound overwhelming? It doesn’t have to be. You don’t have to make big changes all at once. You can be just as successful if you take small steps as you navigate this journey. Pick one or two of these tips to get you started. Just start. By joining with others, you can have more fun while increasing your chance of success for a healthy heart and a healthy life.
(Please note this article is adopted from an unauthored article in my local community newsletter. Though not copyrighted, I wanted to share its source.)
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