February usually brings up thoughts of a romantic candlelight dinner & dancing or maybe some flowers and chocolates to celebrate a person dear to your heart. You'll find plenty of reminders about the holiday in the form of heart-shaped chocolates, cards, and stuffed animals at your local stores. But February is also American Heart Month, whose goal is to raise awareness about heart disease while cultivating strategies for keeping a heart in tip-top shape.
Here are some suggestions for celebrating your own heart this month: Make fish for dinner. Wild-caught, cold-water seafood is a superfood: rich in protein, nutrients, and healthy fats. Explore new recipes. Try creating heart-healthy dishes with flaxseeds and chia. Make it fun experimenting. Go for the rainbow. A wide array of colorful vegetables and fruits can provide nutrients that protect your heart. Make it sweet and healthy. Indulge in dark chocolate to lower inflammation, improve blood pressure, support blood circulation, and lots more. Work it out. Walking 30 minutes a day, five days a week, can make your heart healthier and reduce your risk of heart disease. Just keep your body moving!
If you aren't showering someone else with love on the holiday, why not shower yourself with self-love? Show yourself some love by taking great care of yourself and doing your favorite self-care activities. Whether it's taking a bath with a fancy bath bomb, doing some yoga, going for a run, journaling, or meditating. You know best what will benefit your mental health and your heart.
By Sharon Groves
Sharon Groves covers health, wellness, and lifestyle topics for the ARA newsletter, helping readers make informed decisions about their wellbeing in retirement.
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Easy Eddie's Take
Sharon's heart-healthy tips are especially important for folks in retirement. The American Heart Association tells us that heart disease is the leading cause of death for people over 65, but here's the good news: it's never too late to start taking better care of your heart. Those 30-minute walks she mentions? Medicare Part B covers annual wellness visits where your doctor can help you set realistic exercise goals and track your progress.
A lot of people ask me, "Does Medicare cover nutrition counseling for heart health?" If you have diabetes, kidney disease, or cardiovascular disease, Medicare Part B covers medical nutrition therapy sessions with a registered dietitian. That means you can get professional help creating those heart-healthy meal plans with the fish, flaxseeds, and colorful vegetables Sharon talks about. And if you're managing multiple medications for heart conditions, Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage can help make those treatments more affordable.
Think of February as your heart health kickoff month. Small changes like adding a daily walk or swapping out processed snacks for dark chocolate can make a real difference in how you feel every day.