Let’s Talk About Your Heart

I am sure you’ve heard that February is the Heart Health month. It is all over TV, radio, and the Internet. But do you really do anything different this month? We are moms and we are in a tough spot, because we always put everyone else ahead of ourselves. I remember growing up a very independent and strong willed child, but now I compromise 50 times a day without even thinking about it twice. We give, give, give all day long and the only thing we wish to receive back is a sign of appreciation, a smile, a hug…

I am sure as you’re going through these questions, you’ve noticed that a major factor for heart problems is caused by neglecting your body and your needs. Maybe this year we need to take the Heart Month serious and investigate what little steps we can take now to benefit our heart health. Maybe this month we will put ourselves back on the priority list and learn to do things for ourselves and continue doing them throughout the year.

Eat Better

Wrong food creates many heart health problems.  As convenient as fast food might look, there are healthier last minute options you can come up with. Get a pre-packaged salad and look for healthy frozen entries. This kind of dinner can be assembled in a matter of minutes and will cost about $10-20 for the whole family.

Keep Active

Start walking or running in the morning. If you have a dog, take him/her for a walk instead of just opening a backyard door. Start measuring your progress with a pedometer and find other ways to sneak physical activities into your life. I found few people at work that joined me for lunch walks – it gave us a chance to get out of the office and do something productive for ourselves.

Care More

Most of us probably take vitamins, but neglect to take care of the skin. Besides being the largest organ of your body, skin is also the only organ that is exposed to the extreme weather conditions. I’ve taken good care of my kids’ cheeks and lips this winter and completely neglected my own needs (this is a mistake one should not be making if living in the Windy City).

Stress Less

Take a long relaxing bath. It can only take 10-15 minutes, but it will for sure change the way you feel. Spend 10 minutes with a cup of tea and a book under your favorite cozy blanket. Spoil yourself with a piece of dark chocolate and enjoy every bit of it.

Growing up I was always slightly irritated when I had to shop for the gifts for Mom. Anytime I asked my mother what she wanted for her birthday, she would always say, “Nothing. Your health and happiness is the best gift a mother could wish for.” I could never understand that. One year I didn’t get her anything and obviously she was very upset with me. “Way to go on mixed messages, Mom!” Now I am a mom and just starting to understand what my mom really meant to say – “Anything you get will warm my heart, because it will show me that you care.”