“One sees clearly only with the heart.” – Antoine De Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince
The celebration of the heart is in the home stretch. With just five days left in February’s heart month we ask you to challenge yourself.
Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America today. It beats all forms of cancer combined.
Last week in Vermont, the American Heart Association hosted a “Go Red for Women” luncheon to raise awareness and people’s spirits against this tough foe. Attendees had their pictures taken by Karen Pike with cutout standups of Betty Boop, Marilyn Monroe and Scarlet O’Hara. Why, you ask?
All dressed in red to celebrate a sisterhood of strength in numbers, each person had the chance to express her “playful” side with Betty, her “determined” side with Scarlet, and, yes, her “sexy” side with Marilyn. For perseverance both in prevention and healing requires all three, and truly we have all three within us – we just forget to honor each one in our full suite of happiness.
It’s important to build wishful thinking into reality when it comes to being a hero. So, at this Go Red event, women and men channeled the inner diva or heart healthy super hero, together in a room where the collective wisdom and nurturing oxytocin (the brain chemical that spirits connection and empathy) flowed in abundance.
Events like these lead to brilliant ideas like the Heart Associations “Teaching Gardens” which are now being built in school communities all across the country – helping children and families get back to heart healthy basics; right down the soil.
Channel your inner heart hero today with loved ones who support your healthy heart efforts and your unique contribution to the world. And why not do so over a heart-healthy meal! The ideas that could spring forth could build a whole different garden of dreams for generations to come. Bottom line, celebrate the heart!
Cheers to all the women, and men, out there who are fighting this disease world wide. Cheers to all of you who take even the smallest step to contribute – even if it’s just a healthy recipe (check out this Mayo Clinic one for tomorrow’s breakfast).
Go red to infinity and beyond! And never look back…
“On the mountains of truth you can never climb in vain: either you will reach a point higher up today, or you will be training your powers so that you will be able to climb higher tomorrow.”
– Friedrich Nietzsche
You in Your Worklace:
Our clients love to do healthy days where everyone signs up to bring in a healthy dish for lunch, either once a month, or once a week depending on your group size. Share the recipes and build up a cookbook.
Stone soup is also a favorite healthy meal event. One person brings in a crock pot, and everyone else brings in a chopped veggie. With some veggie broth and everyone’s contribution, the concoction steeps all morning until lunch time. People can come and get a taste any time they want. IN warm weather, salad days are fun doing the same type of group contribution.
See you on the next PATH Ahead! A heartbeat away!