As many of you know, February is American Heart Month! American Heart Month is something that health departments and organizations like the American Heart Association participate in to raise awareness of heart disease and to educate the public not only on prevention but also early detection. According to the AHA, the theme this year is “reclaim your rhythm.” Today I am going to talk about how you can promote heart health in your own families, friend groups, and communities.
Group Exercise
Exercise is a great way to maintain the health of your heart. But just because it is something that we should do does not necessarily mean that we always want to do it. So to keep ourselves accountable and to give ourselves some motivation, why not find some form of exercise that is good for your heart that you can do with a group of friends or some family members? The recommendation by the American Heart Association is that you do 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity physical activity a week. Their page titled “American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults and Kids” lists the following as examples of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (notice that many of these can be done in groups):
- brisk walking (at least 2.5 miles per hour)
- water aerobics
- dancing (ballroom or social)
- gardening
- tennis (doubles)
- biking slower than 10 miles per hour
Start an Initiative to Quit Smoking
Consider starting a formal (organized at your community center, for example) or informal (with your neighbors) initiative to quit smoking. Smoking has a huge impact on your heart health but it is never too late to quit. Having a group of people you can work on that goal with can provide you with the necessary support to achieve your goal. And as cheesy as it sounds, the prize will be a healthier heart.
It turns out that I have more to say about this than I originally thought, so stay tuned for more information tomorrow!
Written by Brigid Stakelum
