Reignite Your Heart Health: Tips for a Healthier You This American Heart Month
February is American Heart Month. This begs the question, is the heart the most important organ in our body? Don’t forget about our brains; we cannot survive without them. And our heart is a pump, right? But is it the only pump in our body? Spoiler alert: our muscles are pumps too! When they flex, they pump and return blood to our heart.
To be clear, I acknowledge the importance of our hearts. I also recognize the importance of the other organ systems for our survival. When we incorporate the 5 elements of the Power of 5, we improve the health, performance, and longevity of the heart, brain, muscles, and many other organs in our bodies. When we celebrate and nurture our heart, we are nurturing our entire body and making ourselves physically more resilient.
American Hearth Month
American Heart Month is a time for reflection. It’s a time to celebrate the wonders of the human heart and to recommit ourselves to a healthier lifestyle. For me, it’s also a time to ponder my journey as a person and physician and the challenges of establishing and maintaining my vitality. With time constraints and the pressure to provide excellent medical care to my patients, I devoted less and less time for self-care, outside interests, family, and social time. I now understand and acknowledge that I neglected my heart and overall health. I have been exceedingly fortunate and have not suffered the negative consequences of this behavior. I was, however, able to eke out just enough time to research and write about aging GRACEfully, living a healthy lifestyle, and pursuing longevity. I have since incorporated those lessons and many others into my way of life.
Be Heart Friendly
Here are three items to consider during American Heart Month (and beyond) to be friendly to your heart:
- The Heart of the Matter: Beyond the Physical
There are emotional and mental dimensions of heart health.- Stress, anxiety, and depression can significantly affect cardiovascular health.
- Scientific studies have shown the role of mindfulness, meditation, and emotional intelligence in reducing heart disease risk.
- My story about Sylvia* (below) is one such example.
- The Heart of the Community: Building Heart-Healthy Communities
Social connection and community provide powerful support for heart health.
- Social support groups of all types or even the strong social connection we have with friends and heart disease survivors play important roles in overall and heart health.
- Volunteering with local organizations that promote heart health is an excellent way to achieve dual purposes with a single activity. One excellent example is a dear friend who is also my editor. While applying this element, she volunteered at a rehabilitation sanctuary for injured birds. Besides meeting like-minded people, she achieved her activity goal by vigorously assisting the staff with bathing the birds.
- Heart-Healthy Habits for the Modern World
There are new and unique challenges to heart health in today’s digital age.
- Sedentary lifestyles, excessive screen time, and social media have a significant negative impact on heart health.
- Incorporating more movement into daily life, such as taking walking breaks, using a standing desk, and limiting screen time are a few simple ways to safeguard the heart.
- New technology, such as fitness trackers and heart rate monitoring apps, can play a role in supporting heart health. I also acknowledge the potential downside, such as taking things to excess and becoming overly compulsive in monitoring.
Meet Sylvia
In my career, I have had the chance to observe and treat patients who incorporated Power of 5 elements into their daily lives.
One such patient was Sylvia.* She had strong social connections with many of my other patients who verified my observations. Sylvia exercised (spinning, yoga, and strength training) almost every day, and she was strict with her eating lifestyle, mindfulness, and yoga practice. During one office visit, she was thrilled when I told her about my experiences with yoga, so much so that I remember her passionate words to this day. Last but not least were the close connections she shared with those she met at her fitness center. There has never been a question in my mind that she extended her heart health and lifespan considerably by incorporating these three elements into her life.
The Heart of the Matter: A Call to Action
Here is my personal challenge: take concrete steps toward improving your heart health.
- Schedule a check-up with your doctor.
- When you discover something that works for you, share your own tips for improving heart health with others.
I’ve had the good fortune to reflect that it is never too early or too late to start better self-care. I have discovered the joy of writing and communicating about preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease, dementia, and cancer; promoting healthy lifestyle choices; and empowering individuals to take control of their own health.
This experience has taught me a valuable lesson: true healthcare is not just about treating disease, but also about fostering a sense of well-being and empowering others to live their best, healthiest lives.
* Sylvia is a fictitious name for an actual patient I happily experienced in practice.
