Hudson Falls Wellness Committee Presents Heart Healthy Tips For February!
Click on the links below to learn more.
This month is dedicated to American Heart Month. Read on to see how you can take care of your heart and stay healthy!
Do you know there are seven easy ways to help control your risk for heart disease?
- Lower your risks of heart disease, stroke and diabetes just by getting active! Daily physical activity increases your length and quality of life. If you get at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity each day (like brisk walking), five times per week, you can almost guarantee yourself a healthier and more satisfying life.
- To avoid blockages lead to heart disease and stroke control your cholesterol! When you control your cholesterol, you are giving your arteries their best chance to remain clear of blockages.
- Healthy foods are the fuel our bodies use to make new cells and create the energy we need to thrive and fight diseases: eat better!
If you are frequently skipping out on veggies, fruit, low-fat dairy, fiber-rich whole grains, and lean meats including fish, your body is missing the basic building blocks for a healthy life.
What To Do: Use the ‘Healthy Plate Guide’.
- Manage blood pressure. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. When your blood pressure stays within healthy ranges, you reduce the strain on your heart, arteries, and kidneys which keeps you healthier longer. What To Do: You should:
- Eat a heart-healthy diet, which includes reducing sodium
- Get regular physical activity and maintain a healthy weight
- Manage stress, limit alcohol and avoid tobacco smoke.
- Lose weight: you can reduce your risk for heart disease by successfully losing even 5-10 pounds and keeping it off.
If you have too much fat — especially if a lot of it is at your waist — you’re at higher risk for such health problems as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes. What To Do: calculate your body mass index (BMI) to help you determine if you need to lose weight.
- Reduce blood sugar. Did you know most people with diabetes die from some form of heart or blood vessel disease?
Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (or blood sugar) that our bodies use for energy. Your body makes a hormone called insulin that acts like a carrier to take your food energy into your cells. If your fasting blood sugar level is below 100, you are in the healthy range. If not, your results could indicate diabetes or pre-diabetes. Although diabetes is treatable and you can live a healthy life with this condition, even when glucose levels are under control it greatly increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
What To Do: The following tips can all help reduce your blood sugar:
- Reduce consumption of simple sugars that are found in soda, candy and sugary desserts
- Get regular physical activity! Moderate intensity aerobic physical activity directly helps your body respond to insulin
- Stop smoking! Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health. Smoking damages your entire circulatory system, and increases your risk for coronary heart disease, hardened arteries, aneurysm and blood clots.
What To Do: Whatever it takes for you to stop smoking, it is worth it! Visit the American Heart Association’s Quit Smoking website for tools and resources.
Learn more about “Life’s Simple 7” and take action with MyLifeCheck from the American Heart Association.
Looking for a recipe that is heart healthy and delicious? Here is a quick dinner for four servings. Hint: dice up the veggies real small so they are hidden in the sauce.
Bowtie Pasta with Chicken, Veggies and Tomato Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes/cook 20 minutes
Ingredients Directions
4 cups whole wheat pasta
2 raw chicken breasts, diced
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
2 cups pasta sauce
1 cup part skim mozzarella cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.
2. Heat oil over medium heat.
3. Add diced chicken and cook until no longer pink inside.
4. Add veggies and cook about one minute, until heated
5. Add sauce and simmer 10 minutes
6. Toss pasta with sauce and divide into bowls
7. Top with cheese and serve
Reminders:
- Friday, February 11th: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE 5:00 photo opts with the athletes and coaches.
JV start: 5:30 Varsity start: 7:00
- Tailgate Event on Tuesday, February 15th starting at 4:30. Games, Food and enjoyment before the Boys’ Basketball Games. Franklin St side of the school by the tennis courts! If you don’t like basketball, just come for the festivities.
- Spring Sport Sign-ups are happening now 7-12 during PE classes.