A Call To Action For Heart Health How We Can Beat The Odds

Heart disease is the top cause of death in the United States, killing roughly 700,000 Americans every year. That’s one of many reasons that the World Heart Federation and World Health Organization teamed up in 1999 to create World Heart Day on Sept. 29. The organizations wanted to bring further attention to the global impact of cardiac disease and how we as individuals are failing to care for our heart health.

I remember one time in particular when my sister and I tested our dad’s heart. We were vacationing in Maine and visited a tiny hole-in-the-wall set of waterfalls off the beaten track. After hiking about a mile, you come to a stream flowing down the side of the mountain and into a pool at the bottom.

It was structured so that you can climb up and slide down. My sister and I did just that, not realizing how cold the water would be. The water came from snow and ice and was probably barely above freezing. But we were kids and got used to it soon enough. So, we decided to play a trick on our dad, who was then about 45.

We told him the water was great and urged him to jump in. He was a fun-loving guy, so he agreed and took the plunge. After his head resurfaced, he scrambled out of the water and yelped, “Oh, oh, oh,” more times than you could imagine. My sister and I looked at each other as if to say, “We just killed our dad.” But we also thought it was the funniest thing we’d ever seen. I’ll never forget the mixture of fear and laughter as we tested my dad’s heart health.

It’s a funny memory, but heart health is no laughing matter. The World Heart Federation is running a serious heart challenge for everyone this World Heart Day and you can participate by scanning the QR code next to this article. It encourages you to get moving and uses an app I love called Strava. It tracks your walks, bike rides, and other outdoor movements, complete with a map, average speed, and elevation changes. Looking back at it and seeing what I accomplished during a bike ride gives me great satisfaction.

Aside from quitting smoking, exercise is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease. Recent research indicates that a sedentary lifestyle could be as bad for your heart health as smoking. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25% of Americans are inactive, putting them in substantial danger. Meanwhile, over 60% of adults don’t get the recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise.

Thirty minutes of exercise five times a week doesn’t sound like much on paper, but busy lives keep many people from meeting that goal. Fortunately, a recent study showed that as few as 11 minutes of exercise each day can reduce our risk of heart disease and early death. That’s something virtually everyone can accomplish with the right plan in place.

The more you can move, the better. If you work at a desk, take 3–5 minutes every hour to get up and walk around or do simple calisthenics. Even a short bike ride or walk around the block at a reasonable pace will help you be more aware of your heart health and provide a benefit. It’s something tangible you can do for your heart and you can start today.

World Heart Day falls on my daughter’s birthday. The coincidence makes it easy to remember why I want to stay healthy and live a long life. I want to see her and my son’s adventures for many years — that’s more than enough incentive to keep my heart in good shape.

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