SHOW YOUR HEART SOME LOVE
February is American Heart Month, and with research indicating blood pressure has worsened in both men and women since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s important to use this month to get a blood pressure screening and focus on becoming heart-healthy. While high blood pressure and heart disease are serious conditions, the good news is a healthy heart is an achievable goal through lifestyle changes, and making these changes can be as easy as contacting the Y. Below are tips for everyone to become heart-healthy this February.
- Get Moving: Being physically active every day is not only fun, but it can also improve the function of your heart. Plan and schedule opportunities for active play; for example, include a brisk 10-minute trip around the block after meals or dropping in at the Y for a quick walk on the treadmill or a quick circuit on the weight machine during the day.
- Rest Up: Lack of sleep can be associated with elevated cholesterol and blood pressure. Adults need at least seven, but at most, nine hours of sleep at night to prevent heart disease. Children need 10-12 hours of sleep per night. Develop bedtime routines to assist with falling asleep faster and staying asleep.
- Revamp Your Recipes: Makeover your favorite recipes by reducing the amount of salt and saturated fat and substituting a lower-fat food without sacrificing tastes. For example, use low-fat yogurt instead of sour cream, skip the seasoning packet, and replace it with spices and olive oil. Read food labels to learn more about what is in the package, and select foods that have less than 1,000mg of sodium per serving.
- Check Your Pressure: Revised blood pressure guidelines from the American Heart Association means that nearly half of all Americans (46 percent) have high blood pressure. Lowering or maintaining normal blood pressure can reduce heart disease and stroke risk significantly. Start self-monitoring your blood pressure and know the numbers. Discuss the results with your doctor if needed.
- Quality Time: Spending time with family or friends dramatically reduces stress and is vital to heart health. Schedule a device-free family fun night, or plan a workout date with your closest fitness friends at the Y!
To learn more about how the YMCA of Klamath Falls can support your heart-healthy initiatives, contact the Y at 541.884.4149 or www.kfallsymca.org
About the Y Driven by its founding mission, the Y has served as a leading nonprofit committed to strengthening the community for more than 175 years. The Y empowers everyone, no matter who they are or where they’re from, by ensuring access to resources, relationships, and opportunities for all to learn, grow and thrive. By bringing together people from different backgrounds, perspectives and generations, the Y’s goal is to improve overall health and well-being, ignite youth empowerment and demonstrate the importance of connections in and across 10,000 communities nationwide. Learn more at kfallsymca.org
