February is the month dedicated to the heart. That muscle that pumps blood throughout our body and keeps us alive is also credited with feeling the deep emotion of love. For 28 days in 2018, the heart, what most would claim as the most important organ in our body, is honored in two ways.
American Heart Month and St. Valentine’s Day are celebrated in February. Each year the month is full of celebrations where the heart is the central theme.
When Pope Gelasius made February 14th Saint Valentine’s Day, he put in motion a day that would become dedicated to love. American Heart Month began in 1964. The American Heart Association decided that the month could be dedicated to awareness. For over 50 years, American Heart Month raises awareness about heart health so the rate of death due to heart disease will lower.
Awareness of what causes heart disease and what can be done to live a heart-healthier lifestyle has lowered the rate of death due to heart disease in the United States. According to The American Heart Association, even though statistics show that the number of heart disease-related deaths since 1964 are lower, heart disease is the still the leading cause of death for women and men in the United States.
1 in 4 deaths in America is contributed to heart disease. That statistic can change through education about heart health and by a person adopting a heart-healthy regimen as a way of life.
As a leading research facility, Harvard University says that doing these five things can lead to a healthier heart: avoid tobacco, be active, aim for a healthy weight, enliven your diet, and drink alcohol in moderation or not at all. Being able to live in surroundings that offer you the opportunity to practice daily activities that lead to a healthy heart is possible. Think about your surroundings as you strive to make your heart healthier each day.
Frequent non-smoking or non-tobacco using facilities. If you already smoke, find a smoking cessation class that will surround you with others who are kicking the habit and with counselors who have already quit tobacco use and are familiar with techniques to help you through this major change. The State of Louisiana offers these classes in all major cities.
Activity that gets you moving is vital to a healthy heart. Exercising at a gym, walking your pet, and taking the stairs are simple ways to add some activity to your daily routine. Whether you are starting out slow because you haven’t been active for a while or adding to a lifestyle where you already workout daily, increasing activity even slightly causes results.
Aiming for a healthy weight involves watching what you eat and moving your body. The best place to start to find out what a healthy weight is for your frame and height is your physician. Your doctor is familiar with your medical history and can help you set a goal to aim for the right weight for you and the proper diet to follow to get on track to maintain or reach that healthy weight range.
The more colorful your plate, the more enlivened your diet will become. Vegetable, fruits, and spices come in a rainbow of colors. Surround yourself with all types of choices to add color to your diet in the produce section of your grocery store or stopping at a produce market like Fresh Pickin’s on Kaliste Saloom.
Drinking alcohol in moderation means that you can still indulge. Research shows that a glass of red wine offers health benefits like the ability to improve cholesterol and fight free radical damage due to the antioxidants contained in a serving.
Lafayette Garden Apartments in Lafayette, Louisiana is a premier community living facility that surrounds you with amenities that can help you practice heart-healthy living. On the grounds of the complex are two 24-hour fitness centers. Imagine working out every day at the time you want and not having to pay membership fees. In addition to work out facilities, the grounds also offer a basketball court, kids and pet parks, outdoor barbecue areas, and a beachfront entry swimming pool.
Tour Lafayette Garden Apartments today and fall in love. Your heart will thank you.
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