This email is a love letter to your heart muscle! Not only is Friday Valentine’s Day, but for us coaches, February is Heart Health Month and that is a great time to show it some TLC.
And your heart totally deserves it!
Did you know this hard-working muscle can beat around 3 billion times over your lifetime?
Pretty amazing, right? Your heart deserves as much support as you can give it to keep it strong and supple!
Here are some eye-opening stats showing why that’s so important:
- Every 40 seconds, someone in the US has a heart attack.
- And every 37 seconds in the US, someone dies from cardiovascular disease.
- It’s also the top killer in Australia, Canada, and many parts of Europe.
Pretty scary! But the good news is there are some very simple things you can do starting TODAY to take care of your heart.
For a healthy heart …
→ Eat more plants. Start by eating an extra veggie or fruit every day!
→ Add wild-caught cold-water fish (like salmon) to your diet because they are rich in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids.
→ Workout: cardio like walking, our MetCon classes (come for free!), or biking AND Strength Training exercise can help keep your heart strong. In fact, study after study shows that as you “get in shape,” your resting heart rate slows a bit because each beat is STRONGER and pumps out more blood with greater EFFICIENCY, getting oxygen and nutrients where they have to go. It literally doesn’t have to work as hard!
→ Snack on raw nuts instead of sugary, processed foods (i.e., chips and cookies).
→ Avoid high-calorie (and sugary!) drinks like flavored lattes and soda. Drink water instead.
→ Practice deep breathing or meditation. These can help lower your blood pressure. We love this quick podcast about how to meditate after your workouts.
→ Every day, take a few minutes to say thanks. Having a gratitude practice is linked with better heart health.
What can you do TODAY to show your heart some love?
If you need help with a heart-strengthening fitness plan we’re here for you every step of the way. We offer FREE consults called Strategy Sessions (sign up right online) to map out the fitness plan that’s safe, effective and (even more) awesome for you.
Plus, we always have our 30-day Love It or Leave It Guarantee, so you never feel trapped into something that doesn’t make your heart skip-a-beat.
With heartfelt thanks for your readership and support,
Jessica & Team Valeo
REFERENCES:
www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
www.aihw.gov.au/reports/life-expectancy-death/deaths-in-australia/contents/leading-causes-of-death
www.healthdata.org/canada