Love your heart in February–and all year!
A lot goes on in February, and with all the emphasis on Valentine’s Day, we sometimes forget another important celebration–Heart Month–another time to celebrate something special–a time to love your heart in February–and all year!
Our body is an amazing and awesome creation!
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. (Psalm 139:14)
February is not only the home of Valentine’s Day, when we celebrate our love for one another–February is a time to recognize how important our heart is for us, and how to better take care of this amazing pump inside our chest.
God designed all our body parts to work in precision with each other. Every aspect is important, but our hearts certainly deserve high marks for achievement.
The pump we have in our chest is incredible. Our hearts work all the time–contracting to send blood that supplies all cells in our body with oxygen and nutrients. The heart doesn’t get to take a break at night when the rest of our body snoozes. On average, your heart beats about 40,000,000 times per year–over two billion beats in a typical lifetime.
Unless we are scheduled for a heart transplant somewhere in our future, we need to take REALLY good care of our hearts because it’s the only one we have.
How can you love your heart?
- Exercise regularly, activities and duration that are appropriate for your age and current health (more information below).
- Healthy nutrition (more focus in upcoming blogs).
- Adequate rest and sleep (seven or more hours per night).
- Keep our stress at a manageable level (everyone has stress, but there are strategies to help manage our stress).
We’ll discuss all of these in more detail at a later time. For today, we focus on physical activity.
Our heart is a muscle and is strengthened by working it harder than it is normally accustomed to.
**Important** We all should have regular medical check-ups to assess our health. If you aren’t currently physically active, consult with your health care provider to determine if an exercise program is appropriate for you.
So how do we work our heart harder?
- Physical labor
- Brisk walking
- Jogging, running, dancing, swimming, aerobics, cycling…
Our heart works harder when we work harder. If we have a career, vocation, or hobbies which are physically demanding, we may already be exercising our heart to achieve healthy fitness. However, if our job or our lifestyle is sedentary, we need regular physical activity to provide exercise for our heart. Any of the above activities work and there are many more.
Basically, we search for activities that make our heart beat faster, we breath more rapidly, and we work up a sweat. Experts recommend 30 to 60 minutes a day of physical activity, at least 4 to 6 days a week to strengthen and maintain a healthy heart. Learn more here about the value of physical activity as part of a healthy lifestyle.
Being physically active is a lifetime commitment that we adapt as we age. When in our twenties, our exercise program looks different than in our eighties.
If you’re not currently exercising, walking is a great choice for beginners. Start with short distances and a moderate pace. Over a period of time, we add time, distance, and intensity (walking faster). A brisk walk (if we’re physically able) is more beneficial than a stroll.
However, the key point is to start where we are and move more.
Move more–whatever activity we chose. Walking inside of our house for 5 to 10 minutes is better than sitting all day.
Please send me a message if you have questions about developing an activity program. Next week, we’ll focus on how to add more physical activity to your day.
Remember–we’re striving toward a healthier heart!
For additional information on the importance of an active lifestyle, visit the Centers for Disease Control (the importance of physical activity)
I enjoy taking walks outside. Those walks allow me to observe the glorious creations of God and to give thanks.
I’m the same, Melissa, loving to be outside in God’s creation. I can reflect, pray, meditate, and like you, give thanks to God for His amazing gifts. I’m so looking forward to Spring (except for allergies–which have already started!) Sigh…
I enjoy walking with my sisters in Christ at Mt Carmel Church for an hour each day. Also enjoy Silver Sneakers at the Y. Have even started two new classes at the Y, Yoga and Zuma. Feel so much better since I started exercising.
It’s wonderful that you have your group at church, to encourage you and find joy in their fellowship. Our Father created us to be social, to have the blessing of relationships. And when we can join together in friendship AND walk for good health, we are twice blessed. Thank you for sharing your activities, Martha,–it’s encouraging for us.
Exercise makes a world of difference, physically and mentally. Thanks for a timely reminder.
I agree, Diana, I feel so much better when I’m able to get my walking and exercise routine completed. It’s good for heart, body, mind, and all parts of us!
I definitely need to be consistent in exercise or my mood takes a dive. Thank you for the reminder which turns our focus to the wonder of God our Creator. He did design us marvelously didn’t He!
You are right, Sylvia, we are an amazing creation and so blessed that God put us together in such a way. Physical activity helps keep our heart and body healthy, which is very important. But I find another amazing benefit is stress management. Completing a workout or taking a brisk walk helps me find calm and peace. Even if I cannot solve the problem, physical activity helps me better cope with the stress and anxiety of situations I cannot fix.
Great message, Katherine. Unlike our forbears, we don’t get the exercise we need through our daily work. What a wise message to start where we are. It’s hard to get started when you’re out of shape. And out of shape can come yearly over the winter or just after an illness or period of stress. Exercise is good for all of those conditions. Thanks for encouraging us. God bless!
You’ve reminded us of a very important point, Nancy. So many people now live a totally sedentary life which creates multiple health risk factors. We have to plan physical activity, schedule exercise into our day, in order to get the amazing benefits that regular exercise provides. I’m hoping we’ll soon have some consistently warm weather to allow for those of us who love to walk.
Great ideas for keeping our hearts healthy! Thank you, Katherine!
Thank you, Kathy. I expect you’re like me–ready for some warmer weather and sunshine so we can get outside for activity. It’s still a while until Spring, but I’m looking forward to it. Wishing you continued blessings!
Helping my heart is just an added bonus when it comes to walking. Clearing my mind and settling my soul is my biggest benefit. Of course, these things also help my heart. Great points Ms. Katherine.
Me, too, J.D. Walking, especially on these beautiful, spring like days we’ve been blessed with recently, helps me feel closer to God. I feel His blessings in the warm sunshine, the longer days, and the beauty of His Creation. It clears my mind, warms my heart, and grants me special time with our Lord. We’re so blessed!
Thank you, Katherine, for this great reminder to get up and walk! Blessings!
Wishing you blessings, too, LuAnn. Today’s sunshine welcomed walkers. I hope you had a chance to enjoy the beautiful day!