February is American Heart Month, a time when we should all focus on our cardiovascular health! Heart disease is still the leading cause of death in for both men and women in the United States, with one person dying from a cardiovascular disease every 33 seconds.

YOU have the power to take action to protect yourself against heart disease! Check out these tips you can do to take care of your heart this month.

• Get (& stay) Active: Getting enough activity & elevating your heart rate helps to lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. Aim for 2.5 hours of activity each week – this can include walking the halls, taking the stairs, or marching in place. At Edencrest residents can easily meet this goal by the regular activity classes hosted in each community!
• Get Enough Quality Sleep: Lack of sleep (or poor sleep) increases your risk of having high blood pressure and heart disease. Set a goal to get between 7 – 9 hours of sleep each night and stay consistent with what time you go to bed and wake up each day.
• Eat a well-balanced diet: Maintaining a flexible and balanced diet helps improve your cholesterol and lower your high blood pressure. Try a mix of lean meats, adding in fish once or twice a week, and lowering your intake of saturated fats, sodium and added sugars. Plus try to eat more whole fruits and vegetables! At Edencrest, easily check this off since all means are curated by a registered dietitian.
• Maintain a Healthy Weight: Maintaining a healthy weight is important to your overall health, but especially your heart. Staying hydrated, avoiding high calorie snacks, and aiming for 2.5 hours of activity per week will help with maintaining a healthy weight.
• Manage Stress: Did you know that stress can have a direct impact on your heart health? Find some healthy and successful coping strategies to keep your stress down. Meditation, yoga, and many other relaxation techniques can help! When living at Edencrest, you can rely on your fellow residents and team members to help lower your stress.
• Prioritize Self-Care & Social Support: Daily acts of self-care can benefit your heart because self-care is heart care. Studies show that having positive social support, close relationships, and feeling connected to others makes it easier to stick to heart-healthy habits. Edencrest communities have daily activities and opportunities to connect with others, making it easy to have ample social support.

Take your heart health into your hands this month! Make it a goal to add at least one new heart health improving activity each week in February.