February is American Heart Month – a time to focus on heart disease awareness and prevention. Because heart disease is the most common cause of death in the U.S., keeping heart health top of mind from a young age can really make a difference in the quality and length of our lives.
No matter your age or life stage, there are things you can do to prioritize your heart heath – and at Pinnacle Urgent Care, we’re here to help you on your heart-healthy journey throughout life:
Young Children, Tweens & Teens
This is the time to set a strong foundation for heart health so children can continue good habits throughout the rest of their lives without having to make major changes later on.
Helping children learn to eat and enjoy heart-healthy foods – think lots of whole foods like plants and lean proteins – is a great starting point. Even better? Let them cook alongside you, so they know how to make heart-healthy meals for themselves and see that preparing healthy food can be fun and a way to connect with loved ones.
Giving kids lots of opportunities to move their bodies will also help keep their hearts healthy. Encourage your children to swap screens for movement, knowing you’re setting them up for both physical and mental health the more you instill that value in them.
Young Adulthood
If someone in their 20s already has experience eating well and moving their body regularly, the chance they’ll seamlessly continue those habits into their young adulthood is high. But if you find yourself in young adulthood without those heart-healthy practices as part of your daily life, don’t worry – it’s not too late to put them in motion.
As people in this life stage enter their working life and perhaps leave home, habits around things like sleep, community, and stress can shift, so be sure to pay attention to those things. Also, be sure to have an established primary care provider you see regularly to keep an eye on your heart health, along with your overall wellness.
Middle Age
At this stage in life, if you aren’t already prioritizing strength training, it’s a great time to do so. Our bodies begin to lose muscle mass in middle age, and keeping that muscle helps the heart. You might also notice changes in metabolism, so be sure to adjust your diet as needed to remain at or reach a healthy weight. If this begins to feel challenging, consider working with a registered dietitian to help you navigate weight loss/management during middle age.
Be sure you’re seeing a primary care provider consistently, keeping tabs on things like cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar to help keep your heart healthy – and to identify and address any potential issues sooner than later.
Senior Years
Even if you haven’t been on medication to help keep your heart healthy (think blood pressure, cholesterol, etc.), you may find your healthcare provider recommending it at this stage. Don’t worry – this is common!
You can continue to contribute to your heart health by staying active. Lower impact activities such as walking, swimming, and yoga might be especially appealing at this life stage. Any time you can move your body or just spend time with friends and loved ones is important, too, as social connection and meaningful relationships do wonders for our overall health – heart health included.
Heart Health & Pinnacle Urgent Care
Should you have cardiac needs that come up between visits with your PCP, such as minor chest pain, shortness of breath, unexplained fatigue, etc., Pinnacle Urgent Care is equipped with tools like an EKG machine (as well as an experienced care team) to help gauge the source of your discomfort. We can identify issues, help you minimize symptoms, and equip you with more information about what’s going on with your heart so you can then receive ongoing care with your primary care provider.