Spring is here and renewal is in the air.
The American Heart Association is looking for you to renew your commitment to your heart this week. If you can say you meet the following, you will live a long, healthy life.
- not smoking;
- moderate exercise at least 5 times a week;
- untreated blood pressure under 120/80;
- HbA1c under 5.7% (blood sugar under control);
- total cholesterol under 200 mg/dL;
- BMI less than 25;
- a diet high in produce (>4.5 cups/day), fish (>two 3.5-oz servings/week), and fiber-rich whole grains (> three 1-oz-equivalent servings/day); and low in sodium (<1500 mg/d) or sugary beverages (<36-oz/week).
These are the Heart Association’s seven markers for optimal health and they were recently tracked over 20 years in a large population study just released (JAMA, March 14, 2012, Vol 307, No. 10).
What was it that Billy Joel said? Only the good die young? Not so much.
People who had six of the seven markers had 51% lower risk of all-cause mortality and 70% lower risk of heart failure. Does that mean they will live twice as long as those who don’t have these in place? Pretty much.
The problem? The AHA found the “prevalence of having all 7 factors at ideal levels was less than 2%.” Furthermore, only 1 in 5 adults met two of the criteria for diet and less than 1% were “ideal” (met all five). Fewer than 28% met the ideal level of physical activity. Yes, we’ve got work to do! Their goal is for most people to meet these markers by 2020.
Wouldn’t you think prolonging a good life, free of heart disease, would be enough to motivate people to reach these markers? Back to the “not so much” line. Why? Because our world pays us to be overworked, stressed, eat on the run and sit most of the day. Health, for its own sake, doesn’t feel affordable.
The good news? We can change it. At PATH we see it happen day after day. I went for a walk and the next day two people joined me and so on. Start with you and grow it to encompass your world. Here’s our mantra again: Make the “right thing to do” the easy, or even the only, reasonable PATH. Your first step… leap into Spring with a physical. Find out your true markers then talk with your doctor, friends and family about how you’ll work toward the “ideal” in the coming year. Help the AHA save your life, starting today!
To get you started (or keep you) on your PATH to all seven markers, Olga has a great exercise. See below for instructions.
And later this week, look for a rundown of healthy calories versus unhealthy and the cost.
You in Your Workplace
Do you encourage people to get their annual physical or recommended preventive screenings? Your wellness program can include incentive to do so. Call it a “Know Your Numbers” campaign. Reward positive behavior, all prevention efforts are worthwhile.
See you on the hearty PATH Ahead!
“Olga’s Stand Ups” Instructions:
From this month’s Men’s Health (March 2012) magazine, they call it the best exercise you’re not doing!
Lie flat with your left leg bent and right arm at your side. Hold a weight directly above your chest in your left hand. Slowly roll to your right, prop yourself up and push yourself up onto one knee, then up to standing tall. Reverse back to lie lying flat. Remember to keep your core firm and to exhale as you push up to the sky each time. Do 3-5 reps on one side and then switch. Do 2-3 sets. Mix it up with some other Olga exercises (under Exercise Reality) in our blogs for a good circuit workout.