Celebrate Heart Health One Beat at a Time!

Thank you for visiting us on February 14th for a FREE Heart Fitness exercise program! 

This month’s national observance is dedicated to heart health. February is recognized by the American Heart Association as American Heart Month and observes women and heart disease through the Go Red for Women Campaign.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute also recognizes women and heart disease through the Heart Truth Campaign. 

Download the .PDF - Heart Truth Campaign

Download the PDF Women and Heart Disease

Support women and heart disease on National Wear Red Day this year on February 3^rd. IT’S THE DAY TO WEAR RED!

In addition, make sure you read this month’s article in Mature Lifestyles Magazine to read this month’s feature article on heart health. 

An inactive lifestyle is one of the top risk factors for heart disease and is also one of the most preventable! Regular aerobic exercise has many benefits to include:

Help you look FANTABULOUS! (Look it..feel it…be it!)

Strengthen your heart and cardiovascular system

Improve your circulation

Increase energy levels so you can perform more activities without becoming tired

Lower blood pressure

Strengthen bones

Improve muscle tone and strength and increase mobility

Improve balance and joint flexibility

Help reduce body fat and help you maintain a health weight

Help reduce stress, anger, anxiety, depression

Boost your self-image and self-esteem

Improve sleep habits

Aerobic exercise, also referred to as cardiovascular exercise, has the most benefits for your heart. Aerobic exercise over time can help decrease your heart rate and blood pressure and improve your breathing. Your heart becomes a stronger pump and therefore you won’t have to work as hard during exercise or other activities of daily living…including sex! Now if sex is an activity of ‘daily living’ for you than you probably don’t have heart problems! You go girl!

Aerobic exercise is defined as steady physical activity using large muscle groups. This type of exercise includes walking, running, cycling, rowing, and swimming and strengthens the heart and lungs thereby improving the body’s ability to use oxygen.

Try a low-impact walking program to help build cardiovascular strength and endurance. Recommendations suggest working up to 30 minutes of moderate aerobic activity on most days of the week.

IMPORTANT: Women and Heart Attack Signs and Symptoms

Heart attacks are mainly caused by a blockage that prevents blood from flowing to the heart. 

The most preventable risk factors of heart disease, which account for about 80% of all risks, are unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, tobacco use and harmful use of alcohol. The effects of unhealthy diet and physical inactivity may show up in individuals as high blood pressure, high blood glucose, raised blood lipids, and overweight and obesity. Whatever the cause, paying attention to signs and symptoms and taking appropriate action are key. Studies show that in early female heart attack symptoms, less than 50% have no ‘acute chest pain’, a hallmark symptom in men. In addition, many emergency room doctors still look mainly for chest pain. This is an area for much needed education and awareness as female presentation often goes unnoticed or dismissed. As a result, doctors may miss heart attacks in women. Common symptoms in women include shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, or pressure in the lower chest. In a Circulation study, common female heart attack symptoms included 57.9% shortness of breath; 54.8% had weakness; and 42.9% had unusual fatigue. Other symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Lower chest discomfort
• Upper abdominal pressure or discomfort
• Back pain

 Although women can have chest tightness as a symptom of a heart attack, it’s also important for women to recognize other symptoms and to call 911 in case of emergency!  

Visit our Store and try our Walking program for a 12-week progressive program with stretching. Be sure to talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program.

The overall goal of exercise for adults and seniors is to improve strength, endurance, flexibility, and psychological well-being. Participating in a regular strength and aerobic exercise program may decrease your risk of certain chronic conditions and disabilities such as heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, stroke, depression or osteoporosis.

 Let’s face it….chronic exercise for chronic disease is key!

It is recommended that apparently healthy adult individuals get a minimum of 5 days a week of moderate-intensity cardiovascular exercise. Cardiovascular or aerobic exercise includes walking, cycling, and rowing. Walking or stationary-cycling are probably the most advantageous if you have limited tolerance for weight-bearing activity.

Moderate intensity exercise on a scale of 0 to 10, is about a 5 to 6 level. You need to ‘perceive’ how hard you are working and not lie to yourself! Try to maintain this level of intensity throughout the duration of your activity. Try the ‘walk talk’ test…you want to be able to hold a conversation and breathe yet not so effortless that you can whistle Dixie!

See if you can break a little sweat and then hold it there for the duration.

The duration of activity recommended is 30 minutes and up to 60 minutes if you are trying to manage your weight. The great news is that this activity can also be accumulated so try 10-minute bouts 3 times a day to get the job done!

Don’t forget to warm-up before exercise and cool-down after and incorporate a stretching program at least 2 days a

week into your regime.

The added benefit of strength training 2-3 days a week will help improve muscle and bone strength.

Most importantly…have fun and we’ll see you back here in February!