February: Love your Health. Heart Health

Feb: Love your health

What do I mean by this? Of course you care about your health, but I want you to love it. Be happy with it, celebrate it and continue to support it as if this was a loved one. As you care for yourself other little ones are paying attention and guess what… they will follow along. Family Health is contagious .

February awareness goals are all about heart health and cancer prevention so in the video below I talk about all of the reasons why you should LOVE your health and help you create more reasons for why you should tune in to how your body is feeling and continue to work on staying healthy or starting this journey!

February: includes Valentines Day and the  Health topics of the month: American Heart Association:  Heart Awareness Month and Cancer prevention Month really have a common prevention theme which is  living a “Healthy lifestyle”. 

Q: HOW does a  “healthy lifestyle” do all of these things? 

In the most simple terms : Real food and regular movement can keep your heart healthy, help you prevent some cancers and help treat and prevent anxiety and depression. I am sure one or more of these reasons can resonate with most people. 

Additionally for heart health- know your cholesterol numbers for yourself and your family so that you can prevent heart disease for your kids and make lasting changes for everyone. More information on cholesterol in next blog.

How it works (a bunch of helpful scientific reasons): 

1. Real food = less processed food 

A. Releases serotonin which is a complex hormone that regulates mood, cognition, reward, learning, memory and many physiological functioning processes from the gut. There is a direct mind gut connection that helps you release more serotonin as you eat healthier foods. Your nutrition, brain - gut communication and overall feeling of well being are all linked closely to your “gut health”.  Also 80% of your immune system and 95% of serotonin is stored here. 

B. Eating fruits and vegetables contain antioxidants which have cancer killing powers- the darker the better. Eat the rainbow 

C. Fiber from fruits and vegetables help prevent intestinal cancers and prevent constipation (which by itself can make you or your child miserable). 

D. Feed yourself healthy food and see the difference in how you feel.  Challenge yourself and the kids to try new things regularly.

2. Physical movement: 

A. Increase serotonin release in the brain (helps increase mood)

B. Increasing your heart rate is exercise for your heart. It is a muscle too !! Blood flow to areas of the body to help decrease inflammation and activate the immune system. It naturally decreases stress. 

C. Helps to circulate the antioxidants from our foods that can help prevent cancer from developing.

D. Exercise to feel good and be healthy.  Find fun ways to add more physical activity in your life, such as going for a walk with a friend or the kids.

3. Mindset:

This is the most important part.  You need to believe that you can make these changes and that you need to have a positive forgiving mindset when making these changes for your health. It is not about your weight or size, but your weight is an indicator that your heart could be at risk. Please love yourself and your health enough to take care of yourself. This part can be the hardest. 

Treat yourself as you would one of your closest friends. Use kind words and be forgiving.