It’s that time of the year again—heart health month—and Valentine’s Day. This year, I encourage you to spend as much or more time thinking about hearts—real hearts—than about cards, candies and gifts. As the Cardiac Rehabilitation caregivers at Winona Health, my team and I have the honor of helping patients, with a variety of diagnosis, who have been referred us. We provide education and a monitored exercise program to help people safely build strength and stamina. We also collaborate with their regular healthcare providers and keep them up-to-date on their patient’s progress. Because these community members participate in our exercise program for an hour, two or three days a week, we have the luxury of really getting to know each other. Building relationships is heart-healthy, too! This Valentine’s Day and throughout the year, remember you have a heart to take care of—so show it some love. Here are ten ways to improve your heart health from the American Heart Association: 1. Balance calories with physical activity. 2. Reach for a variety of fruits and vegetables. 3. Choose whole grains. 4. Include healthy protein sources, mostly plants and seafood. 5. Use liquid non-tropical plant oils. 6. Choose minimally processed foods. 7. Subtract added sugars 8. Cut down on salt. 9. Limit alcohol. 10. Do all this wherever you eat. Something else you can do to show yourself some love? If you don’t have a primary healthcare provider, find one and get a checkup. They’ll help you stay on track with health screenings and monitor and manage important things like your blood pressure, which has a big impact on heart health. We’re here if you need us. Happy Heart Health Month!
