Published by Trustmark Voluntary Benefits on February 11th, 2020

February is American Heart Month, making it the perfect opportunity to learn about the importance of heart health and preventing heart-related critical illnesses. Did you know that cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, is the leading cause of death worldwide, claiming the lives of more than 17.9 million people each year?1 When it comes to preventing heart-related illnesses such as heart disease, heart attacks and stroke, lifestyle changes can make a big difference. Here are some creative ways to start protecting your heart today.


Walking meetings

If you work a job where you spend a lot of time running from meeting to meeting, propose a few walking meetings throughout your week. This will help you and your coworkers increase your daily physical activity while still being productive at work. Walking meetings may not be ideal for mid-size or larger groups, but for meetings with 2-3 people involved, they can be a great alternative. Plus, getting your blood flowing is a great way to foster creativity and enhance your focus.

Do every day activities at a faster pace 

Have you ever worked up a sweat just from cleaning your house, walking around town or climbing the stairs? If not, try doing these every day activities at a quicker pace to get your heart pumping. Vacuuming, laundry, dishes, and scrubbing the bathroom are all great chores to do quickly if you want to break a sweat. 

When you’re walking around the shopping mall or taking the stairs at work, move your feet faster than usual to get your blood flowing and your heart beating a little faster. These small, every day practices could help strengthen your heart over time.  

Desk and TV workouts

Those who sit at a desk all day and wind down at night watching TV are spending a lot of time sitting down. Living this type of sedentary lifestyle can lead to a number of health problems including increased blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels, all of which affect our heart. Studies have also shown that people who regularly sit for more than 8 hours per day without exercising have a risk of death comparable to those who smoke or suffer from obesity.1 Fortunately, fitting in physical activity can be as easy as incorporating simple workouts that you can do at your desk or in your living room. Be sure to set timers to remind yourself to get moving so you aren’t sucked back into your computer or television for hours on end. 

Replace happy hour or lunch hour with a walk or activity

Life gets busy. Between networking events, kids’ activities and finding time to eat, it can be hard to make time for physical activity. When possible, consider tending to your heart with a quick walk or some type of activity on your lunch hour or in place of happy hour. Certainly, it is important to take a break during and after your workday, but if you can eat at your desk or skip out on the after-work social hour now and again, your body, mind, and heart will thank you.

Regular check-ups with your doctor

While check-ups with your doctor may not be the most “creative” way to protect your heart, it is definitely one of the most important…and is often overlooked! Everyone’s body, genetics and lifestyle factors are different. To understand your heart’s condition and the best ways to keep it healthy, schedule regular check-ups with your doctor to make sure you’re taking the steps that are right for you.

Park further away from the door 

Here is a challenge for you: next time you go work, the grocery store or any building with a parking lot, try parking further away from the door instead of circling the lot for the closest spot. It’s a small step, but think about the amount of time you spend walking between your car and various buildings. Parking further away is an easy and subtle way to increase your physical activity…and don’t forget to pick up the pace to get your heart pumping!

To help protect your heart from critical illness, try implementing a few of these tips to start slowly increasing your physical activity. While these simple and creative actions are great for increasing your heart rate and keeping it healthy, many factors affect heart health and developing critical illness. Be sure to check with your doctor for more information about your heart’s condition and preventative measures that work for you. While you work on protecting your heart, let Trustmark help protect your finances with Trustmark Critical HealthEvents, should you experience a critical illness such as heart attack, stroke or cardiovascular disease. Critical HealthEvents also offers benefits at early stages of illnesses to help keep you and your heart healthy.

1“What are the risks of sitting too much”. Mayo Clinic. May, 2018.