Healthy Hearts at Home

 

Healthy Hearts at Home

Health has been increasingly top of mind since the pandemic began last year. One area that has been all too easy to neglect is our physical and nutritional health. That’s why this February is a great reminder as we observe American Heart Month.

There is light at the end of the tunnel as new treatments and vaccines are introduced, however we are still experiencing either added responsibilities at home or struggling through social distancing. It’s tough to take that on and still make your own health a priority. News from MDLinx reports that 85% of Americans have changed their eating habits – for better or worse – since the start of the pandemic.

 

Online Encouragement

With snow still falling in parts of the country, it can be difficult to get outside and get moving. Last Spring, many fitness alternatives were introduced and marketed through online platforms. Readily available apps allow you to find a fitness regime that match your preferences. If you’re not already subscribed to a service, you can find the 15 best (free) fitness apps here.

 

Give Yourself a Break

The lines of work and life are blurred as 42% of Americans are still doing their jobs remotely. It’s all too easy to forget that we are encouraged to walk around every half hour. This approach is extremely difficult in a high-performance world, but if you have a need help remembering – mark five minutes on your calendar multiple times a day just to schedule that personal time.

 

Plan Ahead

Facing daily distractions can make it difficult to concentrate on healthy options for all your meals. There are two tips to make planning a bit easier. (1) Make a list of the meals you can cook each week with the ingredients in your kitchen. It will be like having a menu at home, and you can cross off meals as you make them. (2) Research healthy meals at different restaurants in your area. We still want to support small businesses but having a list of their healthier options makes decisions easier.

We’ve seen some creative approaches to all sorts of things since the pandemic started. Let’s continue that as we focus more on making our hearts healthy in February and for years to come.