Today is Valentine’s Day! A day full of pink hearts, extra sweets and celebrating the ones we love most. Today, we want to take a moment to talk about how important your heart health is, both today and every day. So, let’s chat about some ways you can prioritize this important muscle.
Heart Health Tips
Heart disease is a leading cause of death. While you can’t change certain risk factors, there are steps you can take to help mitigate your chances of heart disease:
Move your body
Regular physical activity has significant health benefits, and your heart will thank you for getting up and moving! It is suggested to partake in 30-60 minutes of activity every day. Whether that be going for a brisk walk on your lunch break, heading to the gym after work, or going for a family bike ride on the weekend, there are many ways to incorporate movement into your routine. Remember that any activity is good for you so take the stairs, park your vehicle further away, or take your four-legged friend for a stroll.
Eat a well-balanced diet
While indulging is perfectly acceptable, especially on celebratory days like Valentine’s Day, it’s important to incorporate healthy foods into your diet. Some foods to add to your grocery list should include:
- Vegetables and fruits.
- Beans or other legumes.
- Lean meats and fish.
- Low-fat or fat-free dairy foods.
- Whole grains.
- Healthy fats such as olive oil and avocado.
Get enough sleep
Sleep is incredibly important for your heart. Additionally, lack of sleep can impact your overall performance, which can impact the safety of your job and those you work with. Therefore, ensure you are tucking yourself in at a decent hour, and trying to get at least seven hours of sleep each night.
Set yourself up for success by turning your phone off an hour before bed, create a relaxing bedtime routine and attempt to get up at the same time each day. This will keep your body on track and help you to fall into a more consistent schedule.
Be prepared
A lifesaving technique, Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is used in emergencies such as a heart attack, or in an instance where an individual’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped. Knowing what to do, and how to do it properly, could mean the difference between life and death for the person in need.
Freshly learned skills such as CPR and AED can quickly fade if they are not kept up to date. It is recommended that everyone take a Standard or Emergency First Aid course every three years.
DF Safety offers an online AED/CPR Awareness Course, which provides valuable skills review and practice using realistic scenarios to help you feel confident and ready to respond to an emergency.
With 60,000 cardiac arrests occurring outside of a hospital each year in Canada, these lifesaving skills could be the difference between life and death. You never know when you might be in a situation where knowing what to do and having the education to help someone in an emergency will be needed.
If you have questions about our AED/CPR Awareness Course, or other online courses we offer, please contact our team today.
Happy Valentine’s Day! We hope your heart is both happy and healthy!