Happy Heart Health Awareness Month!
Did you know February is Heart Health Awareness month? It makes sense with all that love going around that we share some with our own hearts!
Why is it so important that we discuss heart health? According to the CDC heart disease is the leading cause of death in adults in the United States. In 2022, 1 in every 5 adult deaths in the US were caused by heart disease. On top of that nearly half of adults in the US have high blood pressure, a significant risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Of those adults, only 1 in 4 have their blood pressure under control. But it's not just adults that need to be on the look out, cases of children with heart disease and heart issues have been on the rise as well. According to the American Heart Association, more than 23,000 children experience cardiac arrest outside of hospitals each year in the US.
All these people with heart health issues has a HUGE economic impact as well. Between 2019 and 2020, heart disease-related healthcare costs, medications, and lost productivity reached approximately $252.2 Billion.
But it's not all bad news, research has shown that there are ways to prevent, cure, or limit the risks of heart disease! It starts with a healthy lifestyle. And it all starts with living the healthy lifestyle habits listed below.
Eating a healthy diet full of naturally colorful fruits and veggies, with minimal sodium and added sugars
Maintain a healthy weight
Maintain a physically active lifestyle
Manage stress and get quality sleep
Limit alcohol use and quit smoking
For many of us, these are MUCH easier said than done. We get it. Life is full of stress and temptations. Below are some resources to help support your journey to a healthy lifestyle.
Healthy Diet
The American Heart Association has some excellent resources for heart healthy meals (and other heart related care) that can be accessed here https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart
The Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program that Dr. Jill offers support with is also a great way to get in the habit of eating healthy. This program is a doctor-designed Ketogenic Weight Loss Protocol that treats weight loss as healthcare and uses food as medicine to empower you to lose weight and live your best, healthiest life. Ideal Protein provides premade food as well as weight loss recipes. For more information on Ideal Protein you can visit their website at https://idealprotein.com/ or schedule a visit with Dr. Jill for a consultation.
Dr. Kimberly Kohr can test if your body is getting the nutrients your heart needs to be healthy. For more information you can visit her website at https://northbendnutritionandchiropractic.com/
Healthy Weight
There is a significant amount of debate on exactly what is considered a healthy weight. It is generally agreed upon that "a healthy weight is a number that is associated with a low risk of weight-related diseases and health issues." (Harvard School of Public Health) This number is obviously different from person to person and is dependent on factors such as age, sex, genetics, body frame, existing medical history, lifestyle habits, and eight as a young adult.
So then what do we mean a by a healthy weight? Is your weight negatively affecting your health or keeping you from being physically active? Have you gained weight since your mid-20s? (Don't worry most of us have)
Most adults gain on average 1-2 pounds per year. Gaining weight as you age increases the chances of developing one or more chronic diseases including heart disease. The trick is to maintain a healthy weight, or get to one and then maintain it.
Again, Dr. Jill can help you with this on the Ideal Protein Weight Loss Program
Harvard School of Medicine has some tips too at https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-weight/ with supporting research listed at the bottom of the page
If you want to get into the research of healthy weight The University of Minnesota School of Public Health has a Healthy Weight Research Center and has published their papers here https://www.sph.umn.edu/research/centers/healthy-weight/research/
Physically Active Lifestyle
The WHO (World Health Organization) defines physical activity as "any bodily movement by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure." Simply put, if you move your body it is considered being "physically active." A "physically active lifestyle" however requires at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week (according to the American Heart Association). That breaks down to getting your heart rate up for 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. This can be broken into smaller or longer measurements depending on your lifestyle and schedule. Only have 15 minutes before work and bed? Go for it. Every minute counts. 2 hour run on a Sunday? You do you!
We are here and ready to help your body be in its best physical shape.
Regular massage and chiropractic adjustments help the body strengthen, stretch, and heal after strenuous activity.
To make sure you are being safe with your activity, and for suggestions and advice on how to best help your individual body with physical activity, reach out to Dr. Jill, Dr. Scott, or Craig Guthrie our structural integration therapist, LMT https://www.coachguthrie.com/
Join a local walking club or class! Si View Parks District has many for all ages and abilities. Adult classes linked here https://www.siviewpark.org/adult-programs.phtml You can also check out the many gyms in town for classes and exercise groups.
Dr. Jill recommends the book "Younger Next Year" by Henry Lodge, M.D. Chris Crowley, and Allan J Hamilton M.D. It has many ideas for getting and staying active.
Manage Stress and Sleep
*If you are experiencing a mental health crisis please dial 988
This is a tough one for most people in this day and age. There is a lot that we cannot control and that can lead to high stress levels and lack of sleep. That lack of sleep sends us into a vicious cycle of higher stress levels and around it goes. But it is ESSENTIAL that we get quality sleep. According to the University of Michigan School of Public Health, "sleep is essential to every process in the body, affecting our physical and mental function the next day, our ability to fight disease and develop immunity, and our metabolism and chronic disease risk. Sleep is truly interdisciplinary because it touches every aspect of health."
But how do we obtain that quality sleep with everything going on in the world?
By controlling things like what we eat, limiting caffeine (especially in the afternoon) and added sugars and adding healthy fats like salmon and avocados.
Creating a healthy bedtime routine. For more information check out University of California Davis School of Health article on healthy sleep routines here https://health.ucdavis.edu/blog/cultivating-health/better-sleep-why-its-important-for-your-health-and-tips-to-sleep-soundly/2023/03
And again, I'll put it in bold this time MASSAGE! Massage therapy has research-backed proven sleep AND stress benefits. Book a relaxing massage with Pauline Zaloumis LMT, or CranioSacral Therapy with Sarah Stoll, LMT.
Last but not least we sell wonderful pillows that are made to support your neck and head for the best optimal position for a healthy deep sleep.
Linked with that sleep is stress. Again, managing stress seems so much easier said than done. For many, mental health is pushed to the side, almost an afterthought to our physical health. But they are intertwined, depended on each other for healing and sustained health.
So how do we manage those negative stressors? Here are some tips from the American Psychological Association https://www.apa.org/topics/stress/tips
Try to eliminate stressors when possible to do so. If you are being verbally, emotionally, physically, or sexually abused please call 800-799-7233 (SAFE) for the National Domestic Violence Hotline. For more information please check out their website https://www.thehotline.org/ including on how to identify abuse
Cultivate social support. This can look like supportive friends and/or family, a therapist, and/or trusted health care professional whom you can talk to about life's stressors. Feel free to talk to any of our health care providers about what is stressing you in life.
Join a support group!
NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) https://www.nami.org/support-education/support-groups/nami-connection/
Comprehensive list of resources for families in WA https://wsccsupport.org/resources/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiA2cu9BhBhEiwAft6IxG-tcQnTQpWAuwTdcfBSwVFgjqzjffL8nMlEeymox-gBRUUZx4vrGxoCie8QAvD_BwE
LGBTQ+ Mental health support and directory of groups https://www.thetrevorproject.org/visit-trevorspace/
Maintain a healthy diet (check out tips on this above)
Relax your muscles
Again - massage and chiropractic will help with this. If you need additional support we have some wonderful supplements that can help as well. Please reach out to Dr. Jill, Dr. Scott or Dr. Kimberly on which ones may be best for your individual body.
For more resources to help manage your mental health and stress check out visit the Mental Health Coalition https://www.thementalhealthcoalition.org/resources/
Limit Alcohol and Quite Smoking
Humans have been drinking alcohol and smoking for thousands of years. What was once done as an occasional spiritual activity has now become a way to unhealthily "manage" stress, to "let go and get loose." For more information on what is considered an "unhealthy" amount of alcohol consumption please visit the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohol-drinking-patterns
As I'm sure you know, excess alcohol, tobacco, and drug use is not good for the body, especially the heart. Rather than get into the specifics, let's talk about the positive impacts of reducing alcohol and tobacco use. According to Brown University School of Health https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/sober-curious-and-benefits-taking-break-alcohol and copious amounts of research, becoming sober (even for a short amount of time) can lead to
Better Sleep
Reduced risk of cancer
Better mental health
Lower risk of liver disease and insulin resistance
Additionally according to SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) https://www.samhsa.gov/substance-use/learn/tobacco-vaping , quitting tobacco, e-cigarettes, and vaping has immediate positive effects to your body; including:
Within minutes your heart rate drops
Within 24 hours the nicotine level in your blood drops to zero
Within several days the carbon monoxide in your blood drops to the level of a nonsmoker
Over time, you decrease your risks of heart disease, stroke, and cancer
For resources on how to quit or limit your alcohol/nicotine/tobacco use please call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or visit the following websites
For all substance use https://findtreatment.gov/
Alcoholic Anonymous https://www.aa.org/
Alcohol use https://alcoholtreatment.niaaa.nih.gov/
Tobacco product use Help! I Want to Quit Smoking! | American Heart Association
If you've made it this far than congratulations! Major kudos to you. We hope you enjoyed this blog post. Keep checking back to find more health and office related posts in the future. We wish you the best in life and health, and as always, if you have any questions please call our office at (425) 888-4170 or email us at info@parkstreethealing.com
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