Show your Heart Some Love with these 5 Healthy Habits

by SilverSneakers

February 24, 2020

Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. And keeping your heart healthy is a great way to keep your loved ones’ hearts happy. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S.¹, but it isn’t a “normal” part of aging. Even if it runs in your family, heart disease isn’t inevitable. Maintaining a healthy weight and keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure at normal levels will greatly reduce your risk of dying from heart disease.² The best way to do that is to commit to a healthy lifestyle.

To reduce your risk of heart disease:

Stop smoking. The toxic chemicals in cigarettes negatively impact the functionality of your heart and blood vessels which leads to a build-up of plaque in your heart arteries.³
Choose healthy foods. Good nutrition helps keep a host of critical risk factors in check –– cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, weight⁴ — and you’ll feel better, which could lead to other good habits like exercising.
Stay active. Take a daily walk, stretch or do yoga, take a fitness class, ride a bike – as little as 10 minutes a day of physical activity can deliver some health benefits.⁵ (Read “How crucial is cardo to heart health” on the SilverSneakers blog)
Limit alcohol: Having more than two drinks per day for men, and once per day for women, can increase your risk of high blood pressure and obesity, which both increase the risk of heart disease.⁶
Relax. Learning to manage stress healthily is important to your mental health and your heart health.

Go heart-healthy with SilverSneakers

SilverSneakers® is the nation’s leading fitness and lifestyle program for seniors, and it’s included in your iCare Medicare health plans. SilverSneakers gives you the tools you need to stay active and healthy and an entire community of support. 88 percent of members say SilverSneakers improved their quality of life.⁷

SilverSneakers includes:

memberships to thousands of participating locations⁸ nationwide - visit as many as you wish!
Classes for all fitness levels⁹
group fitness outside traditional gyms⁹
instructors trained specifically in senior fitness
health and nutrition tips along with SilverSneakers On-DemandTM videos
SilverSneakers GO^TM mobile app with workout programs, location finder and more

GET STARTED TODAY

Questions? Visit SilverSneakers.com or call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Always talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Sources:

American Heart Association, http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_491265.pdf Accessed 12/21/2017
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prevention: What You Can Do,” http://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/what_you_can_do.htm
https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/smoking-and-your-heart, Accessed 12/3/2019
American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/aha-diet-and-lifestyle-recommendations, Accessed 12/3/2019
American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults, Accessed 12/3/2019
American Heart Association, https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/alcohol-and-heart-health Accessed 12/3/2019
2018 SilverSneakers Annual Participant Survey
Participating locations (“PL”) are not owned or operated by Tivity Health, Inc. or its affiliates. Use of PL facilities and amenities is limited to terms and conditions of PL basic membership. Facilities and amenities vary by PL.
Membership includes SilverSneakers instructor-led group fitness classes. Some locations offer members additional classes. Classes vary by location.

SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. SilverSneakers On-Demand and SilverSneakers GO are trademarks of Tivity Health, Inc. © 2020 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved. SSFP10300_1219

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Last Updated 2/24/2020