Sure, February is known for sharing a nice candlelight dinner with a loved one or slamming a box of fancy chocolates on Valentine’s Day. But it’s also a month to give some extra attention to the organ that has been chugging along since before you were born – the heart! That’s right, Heart Awareness Month, a.k.a. Heart Health Month or American Heart Month, is the perfect opportunity to appreciate, and ideally lend a helping hand to, the incredible piece of machinery sitting in your chest.
Okay, but how does one celebrate Heart Awareness Month? Well, luckily, our friends at Virtua Health took a few notes from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (because promoting good heart health basically runs in their veins). They even put together some suggestions that will ensure your heart is well cared for throughout the month. All these good vibes will set your heart aflutter (in a good way) this February!
Eating for the heart
The phrase “you are what you eat” has never been more true, and if that’s the case, many of us are at least 5% Grubhub. While it’s perfectly fine to eat takeout and junk foods in moderation, why not challenge yourself to prioritize heart-healthy foods this month? Some of those foods include leafy greens, olive oil, omega-3 rich foods such as salmon and tuna, and whole grains such as oatmeal or brown rice. Incorporating a few more of these foods into each meal will do wonders for your blood pressure and cholesterol. If you want to go next-level, you can even meal prep some heart-healthy meals over the course of the month so that your heart never skips a beat!
Moving for the heart
There’s no avoiding it – after the pandemic, a lot more of us are working from home and living a more sedentary lifestyle. Cardio’s the name of the game – and making a game out of it will make it even easier for you to get your exercise in for the day! Try to challenge yourself to mini-exercises throughout the day that will get your blood pumping: do jumping jacks between meetings, go for a short walk after lunch, challenge a friend or loved one to a push-up contest. It’s all good as long as your ticker’s moving quicker.
Sleeping for the heart
If there’s no rest for the wicked, your heart needs you to be a saint. Lack of sleep doesn’t just make you groggy for a few hours – prolonged sleep deprivation can affect your mood, blood pressure, and even put you at risk for heart disease. Make sure you’re getting the amount of shut-eye that your body needs, and your heart will thank you for it!
Thinking for the heart
Related to the last tip is giving your brain a rest. One of the best things you can do for your heart is making time for mental rest, meditation, journaling, and all-in-all living a calmer life. It can be difficult to prioritize this, but we guarantee that putting aside even a few minutes a day to relax your mind will do wonders for your heart (and body) health.
Speaking from the heart
One of the best things to do is to bring conversations about heart health to your friends, family, loved ones, and even your followers on social media. This can look like anything from sharing a quick post on Instagram or Twitter about some of the above tips, to grabbing a friend for a quick walk around the neighborhood. As long as you make your circle aware of the importance of heart health, you’re doing your part.
Check up on your heart
A Virtua cardiologist is just waiting to have a heart-to-heart with you! If you want to be a true heart hero, go ahead and make an appointment with a physician today to discuss your heart concerns and get any checkups that may be due.
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