It’s all about love in February. Loving your heart.

And you thought we were talking about Valentine’s Day. Every February in the U.S. is “American Heart Month.” The campaign is part of the Million Hearts® initiative and for this year the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a campaign called “Start Small. Live Big.” The idea is to raise awareness on how you and millions of others can have better heart health.

The campaign highlights how easy it is to improve your heart health. Especially older Americans. If you’re over the age of 55, living in retirement communities, assisted living communities or assisted living facilities, or even senior apartments, “American Heart Month” is for you.

A great way to get started on improving your heart health is meeting with your doctor. But what about after that? Here are three easy things you can do to jumpstart your heart health.

Physical activity

A healthy heart is fed by physical activity. Being active also means it’s easier to keep doing what you love such as traveling, being with family and visiting friends. Here are four tips for getting active:

  • 5 minutes—Starting out easy is a way to build confidence. Start slowly. Take it at your own pace. Just 5 minutes a day gives you health benefits. Then you can build up over time.
  • Walk—A great way to be more active is simply walking. Take a walk in the morning. Or afternoon. Or after dinner. Walk the halls or the grounds. Just walk!
  • Get a move on—Do activities that involve movement. Swimming, walking, activity classes and other things all count as physical activity.
  • Find an activity friend—It’s a good motivator and makes it more fun when you do physical activities with other people. Try a group activity class at Auburn Hill or invite someone to go for a walk with you.

Eating habits

Even small changes in what you eat can help your heart health. Here are a few tips for you:

  • Fruits and vegetables are good—Fresh, canned, frozen … you can’t go wrong! Try to fill half your plate at your meal with fruits and vegetables.
  • Cut back on sodium—Too much salt can heighten risks to your heart such as high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes. Be careful of processed and packaged foods with lots of sodium.
  • Pick healthier fats—Saturated fats from fatty meats and full-fat dairy can be bad for your health. Swap out saturated fat for unsaturated fats such as olive oil, avocados and nuts.

Be a heart role model

A few things you can do to show others how to live a healthier life include talking about your family history, getting active together and sharing healthy meals. Sharing your family history with your loved ones and finding out about theirs can help lower your risk of heart problems.

And being active and enjoying healthy meals together are both quality of life things. As in improving your quality of life. Doesn’t that sound good?

Get To Know Auburn Hill Senior Living 

At Auburn Hill Senior Living we know that choosing the right community for yourself or a loved one is a big responsibility. Touring communities and asking questions can be taxing.

Let us make the experience enjoyable for you! We invite you to schedule a visit and come out to experience the Auburn Hill difference for yourself.