February is Heart Health Month and an opportunity to reflect on one of the greatest health problems facing all Americans: heart disease.
Did you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for people of most racial/ethnic groups in the United States, including African Americans, Hispanics and Whites? The causes for heart disease are complex and interconnected, including age, gender, heredity, previous medical history, obesity, stress and alcohol consumption, to name a few.
Heart health is an extremely important topic for me on a personal level and something I am incredibly passionate about. At the young age of 56, my own father passed away from a heart attack. This is one of the main reasons that I’m on a mission to get people active.
The good news is that exercise has been shown to support heart health. As I mentioned in a previous post, regular exercise can support the improvement of:
- Cardiac function
- Muscular strength
- Joint mobility
- Sense of wellbeing
In addition to regular exercise, lifestyle choices play a major role in heart disease risk and overall wellbeing. Here are five healthy habits you can start following to support your wellness:
- Not smoking
- Getting plenty of exercise
- Limiting alcohol consumption
- Maintaining a healthy body weight and healthy body composition
- Sleeping seven or more hours per night
With the right food and lifestyle choices, you have the opportunity to support your heart health; and there’s no better time than Heart Health Month to get started!
Samantha ClaytonOLY, ISSA-CPT – Vice President, Sports Performance and Fitness Education
Samantha Clayton serves as the vice president of Sports Performance and Fitness Education at Herbalife. She is also the Vice Chair of the Fitness Advisory Board. Clayton represented Great Britain at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in both the 200m and the 4x100m relay events. She is a certified personal trainer with specialty certifications in group fitness, youth fitness programming, senior fitness and athletic conditioning. Clayton has an associate degree in pharmaceutical science and studied chemistry at the University of Wolverhampton. She then went on to earn her bachelor’s degree in public health and a master’s in medical nutrition from American Public University and Arizona State University, respectively. As a mother of four, she enjoys cheering for her kids at their sporting activities. Her favorite Herbalife product is Herbalife24® Rebuild Strength.