It's hard to imagine any other bodily organ doing the kind of heavy lifting that the heart carries out each day. In addition to the good work it does keeping us alive, it represents a range of human experience and emotion that extends way beyond its practical use. Consider the expressions: "heart of gold" "broken heart" "change of heart" "wear your heart on your sleeve" "home is where the heart is" and many more. Depending on circumstances, the heart represents love, bravery, loyalty, compassion, desire, and grief. Can you imagine a liver-shaped pendant, or a kidney-shaped valentine? A marketing fiasco, to be sure.
While the metaphorical use of heart imagery and history is significant, the actual day-to-day work of the heart is even more impressive. The human heart beats somewhere between 90,000 and 150,000 times a day, and we barely notice its work most of the time. American Heart Month is dedicated to keeping our hearts healthy by educating about the habits that support heart health. Here are just a few:
Eat whole foods like vegetables, grains, fruits, and lean protein. Try adding more healthy choices to your daily meals, as opposed to focusing on restrictions that feel unsustainable.
Keep moving! Find a way to incorporate movement into your day. Whether it's a trip to the gym, a few laps in a pool, or taking a walk around the neighborhood, finding what works for you is key. Ideally movement can be incorporated naturally into your routine, so that you don't have to think about it too much. "Just do it" is the way to go.
Avoid cigarettes and alcohol. Although portrayed as glamorous and sexy in your favorite 1950s cinema, both cigarettes and alcohol contribute to diseases of the heart and high blood pressure.
Know your numbers. Do you know your blood pressure and cholesterol levels? These indicators each play a role in how hard your heart has to work to do its job. Knowing your numbers can help you track progress and know your risk levels for heart attack and stroke.
Manage stress. While everyone has stress in their lives, and while some stress can be a positive thing, learning to regulate stress levels (through the breath, meditation, movement, or managing emotions) takes the pressure off the heart. Find more on reducing stress in our resources below.
Resources:
For more on American Heart Month, visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
For more on how to reduce stress and encourage relaxation, find our friends at the Mayo Clinic here.
Find a printable pdf on more heart-healthy tips, below.
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