Bernadette Harris knew she needed to make some changes in her lifestyle.
“I was working 15, 16 hours a day. I wasn’t eating right. I wasn’t exercising,” she recalls now.
Her high blood pressure scared her.
“I don’t want to be the grandma on a walker,” Bernadette says. “If I didn’t make some changes, I was not going to be here for my daughter.”
She started making changes advocated by the CDC Foundation for American Heart Month in February.
Exercise is among the most important steps we can take for heart health to prevent heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure and more.
“Physical activity is key to a healthy heart,” the CDC campaign says. “Even small steps toward being more active can add up to big health benefits over time.”
The CDC recommends at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, broken up any way you want, and two weekly sessions of strength training.
Other steps the CDC and heart advocates support include:
- Managing risk factors like blood pressure and cholesterol
- Working with healthcare providers
- Eating right
- Reducing stress
- Quitting cigarettes
“Making these changes was about really enjoying life more, really living, not working all the time … recognizing the things and the people who matter most,” Bernadette says now.
Talk to your doctor about your heart health. And, if you’re not already working out with us, let’s get you started today for a stronger tomorrow.
Holly Kouvo is a personal trainer, functional aging specialist, senior fitness specialist, brain health trainer, writer, and speaker.