February Newsletter - American Heart Month

American Heart Month: February Means Heart Disease Awareness!
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. The month of February is dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease and increasing knowledge about prevention. Here are some tips for better heart health!
Strengthen your heart with weight training. Strength training reduces your percentage of body fat, keeps your weight down, and increases your muscle mass and endurance for aerobic exercise. Do some weight training with free weights twice a week, making sure to focus on both your upper and lower body.
Measure your waist size to gauge your heart health. Take a tape measure and measure your middle. If your waist size is more than 35 inches in women or more than 40 inches in men, this tells you that you are at increased risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes.
Reduce your blood pressure by reducing your salt. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease, and reducing salt intake can help lower blood pressure. Cook with herbs in place of salt, and make sure you read food labels to see just how much salt is in prepared foods. Aim for less than 2.3 grams [about a teaspoon] of salt per day.

De-stress your heart. Unplug yourself from the news cycle and your email. It's good for you and your ticker. That begins with your PDA. Start turning it off for 15 minutes at a time and work up to an hour a day to reduce stress. Consider swapping your BlackBerry for another handheld gadget -- your iPod.

Go for nuts and plant sterols. Your heart will love you if you eat six walnuts before lunch and dinner. Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to decrease inflammation in the arteries surrounding your heart, so they keep your heart functioning longer and better.

Community Events

More than 1,100 people dove into the frigid water on February 2nd, for the Penguin Plunge. All proceeds from the event benefit Special Olympics of Vermont. Our own Karra LaPointe, Jennifer Barrett, and Elizabeth Stillwell were among the participants!

Last week, our offices participated in "Go Red for Women". We pulled in $275 and helped raise awareness of heart disease in women!

Love and Health- Intertwined in Surprising Ways!

Humans are wired for connection, and when we cultivate good relationships, the rewards are immense. It takes a calm, stable form of love to yield clear health benefits. Many of the perks extend to other close relationships -- for example, with a partner, parent, or friend.

Less Depression & Substance Abuse
Getting married and staying married reduces depression in both men and women. This finding is not surprising, because social isolation is clearly linked to higher rates of depression. What's interesting is that close relationships also contribute to a decline in heavy drinking and drug abuse.

Better Stress Management
If love helps people cope with pain, what about other types of stress? There is evidence of a link between social support and stress management. If you're facing a stressor and you've got the support of someone who loves you, you can cope better.

Fewer Colds
People who exhibit positive emotions are less likely to get sick after exposure to cold or flu viruses. The study compared people who were happy and calm with those who appeared anxious, hostile, or depressed.

Lower Blood Pressure
A happy relationship is good for your blood pressure. This supports the idea that other positive relationships can have similar benefits. In fact, singles with a strong social network also did well in the blood pressure study.

Happier Life
It may seem obvious that one of love's greatest benefits is joy. Research is just beginning to reveal how strong this link can be. A study in the Journal of Family Psychology shows happiness depends more on the quality of family relationships than on the level of income.