This April, the American Heart Association (AHA) and Catholic Medical Center (CMC) are encouraging Americans to get Healthy For Good™.
April is the perfect time to get moving. The AHA’s National Walking Day takes place on Wednesday, April 5 this year, encouraging people to move more. The whole month is dedicated to inspiring lasting change through small, simple steps in four key areas: Eat smart. Add color. Move more. Be well.
Studies have suggested that moderate physical activity has many proven benefits for overall health, such as lowering blood pressure, increasing HDL, or “good” cholesterol and controlling weight. All these changes help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers.
Taking a few extra steps this month is also a great way to get ready for the AHA’s Heart Walk on Saturday, June 3 at Derryfield Park in Manchester.
“Americans are spending more time sitting – at work, school or in front of a screen – than ever before, which can increase our risk of heart disease, stroke and other diseases,” said Dr. Joseph Pepe, President and CEO of CMC and chair of this year’s Heart Walk. “By chairing this year’s walk, I am reinforcing CMC’s commitment to the Life is Why effort here in our community. This event is a great way to rally together for a life-saving cause while at the same time encouraging others to make simple changes in their lives to become healthier.”
The AHA will kick off the monthlong Healthy For Good™ campaign on National Walking Day, April 5, to encourage people to move more by increasing their physical activity. The campaign is broken down into weekly themes with week one focusing on walking and the basic tools you need to get started. Walking is one of the safest, least expensive, and most sustainable forms of exercise. Weeks two and three focus on recreational sports and outdoor activities the whole family can do together, and week four focuses on mindful movement and stress reduction through activities such as yoga, Pilates and tai chi.
The AHA recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderately intense aerobic activity, 75 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity or a combination of both each week. Kids should get at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Be part of the movement and register for your free toolkit at www.heart.org/movemoretoolkit. For more information about walking and living a healthy lifestyle, visit www.heart.org/movemore.
For more information about the Heart Walk on June 3, or to register a team, visit www.nhheartwalk.org or contact Caela Goumas at caela.goumas@heart.org or (603) 263-8328.