February is American Heart Month. The month was created in 1964 with the intent “to spotlight heart disease by bringing awareness and sharing steps on how to prevent this deadly disease.” In 2024 this disease is still proving to be deadly, as the American Red Cross reports it is a leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women.
At Kettering College, we embrace the importance of teaching students going into healthcare fields to consider the holistic health of each patient. It is equally important for each student, faculty member, and staff on campus to apply these teachings to their own lives to prevent heart disease and create better overall health and well-being.
By making a few small changes, we all can create habits that lead to lasting rituals in our lives. In the best-selling book “Atomic Habits,” author James Clear looks closely at the act of creating habits that last. He says, “Start small. All big things come from small beginnings. The seed of every habit is a single, tiny decision. But as that decision is repeated, a habit sprouts and grows stronger.”
With that in mind, we wanted to offer some quick, accessible ways everyone at Kettering College can easily implement to care for their bodies, minds, and spirits.
Exercise More
Sometimes when we think of exercising, we might think we have to accept that it won’t be fun, and that it’s something we merely have to endure. However, wouldn’t it be better to create a habit you look forward to and view it as play time like we did when we were children? Movement made us happy, not miserable, and the same should be true as adults.
Don’t like running? Don’t run. Do what makes you feel full of energy and joy, not the things you assume you should do. If you need others to join you to keep you on track, ask others to join you. Create a fun music playlist or listen to your favorite podcast, so you look forward to your workout. Take a moment to consider your preferences and build on them instead of mimicking what you feel you have to do to keep up with others.
Combining fresh air and exercise is a great way to manage stress, which is an important prevention factor in heart disease. Below is a map of a walking path the City of Kettering has created for the community to make walking and biking in our neighborhoods easy. Grab a friend or headphones and get 2.9 miles of walking in starting right here on campus.
Eat More Vegetables
The American Heart Association says it is ideal to eat at least four servings of fruit and four servings of vegetables each day. To the average person who is juggling a busy schedule, this might feel like a lot. The infographic below explains how much a serving is, so you might be doing better than you realized.
A good habit to activate is to be mindful of incorporating fruits and vegetables in every meal you eat. Challenge yourself to try new things instead of assuming you don’t like vegetables. If you have a diet high in sugar, fat, and carbohydrates, that is most likely what you currently crave. Allow your taste buds and brain to adjust to trying more vegetables, and eventually, that is what you will begin to crave instead.
A quick way to kickstart your day with fruit, vegetables, and protein is to make an easy smoothie with spinach or kale. The sweetness of the fruit masks the taste of the greens, so it’s the perfect introduction to take that small step to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into your day.
As we teach, learn, and work on the campus of Kettering College, we encourage you to take a moment to consider your own health. Creating small daily habits to care for your overall health and well-being will help you develop ways that work for you years from now. Before you pour into patients, students, and each other, remember that having a healthy heart is where our service begins.
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