February is a month when hearts take center stage. And not just for Valentine’s Day. We’re talking American Heart Health Month, and we want to remind our clients the importance of showing your ticker a little more T-L-C to prevent medical conditions related to heart disease and stroke. More than one million Americans suffer a heart attack each year, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in every three deaths is related to stroke or heart disease. That translates into approximately 2,200 deaths per day. Scary stuff.
The good news is there are simple steps you can take to decrease your chance of heart disease.
Among those steps are:
- Healthy eating habits. Health problems like diabetes that are the result of excessive weight gain can contribute significantly to increased risk of heart disease. Incorporating healthy eating habits into your workout routine is an effective way to promote weight management and decrease the risk of heart disease.
- Promote regular exercise. You guessed it– this one is our fave! Weekly routines, offered at all three BEYOND Studios locations, that include at least 50 minutes of activity three days a week can have a significant impact on your heart health. Regular exercise also has been proven to help reduce stress, another factor that can lead to heart disease. Organizing group activities and working out with friends is even better because you are able to hold each other accountable and are more likely to maintain the activity on a regular basis. Stop putting it off and telling yourself next week. Book a class today and get on the road to a healthier you!
- Say “No” to cigarettes. Smoking is the most preventable cause of coronary artery disease. The CDC reports that smoking cigarettes cause almost 20 percent of heart disease deaths. When you light up, you have two to four times higher chance of heart disease, and the longer a person smokes the greater the risk. And, it’s just not cute. Not even for Carrie Bradshaw with her laptop and sexy Jimmy Choo pumps.
Together, we can take these small steps to create a healthier environment for our hearts and for us. After all, we owe it to ourselves.
–BEYOND