In our English usage today, heart is both a vital muscle in our bodies pumping our lifeblood through our veins and an the invisible seat of such abstract, yet essential ideas and feelings - love, hope, faith. In both cases, the heart is critical for us to live.
February is the month where we recognize the necessity and vitality of our hearts. February 14 is Valentine’s Day; the day we celebrate love. February is also American Heart Month; the month we raise awareness of heart disease, tips for healthy hearts, prevention and cures for such sicknesses. Take heart and join us on this journey
through the dual concept of “the heart”.
~ Golden Horizons Office Team
Caregiver of the Month
individual. Thank you for all your hard work, Theresa. Congratulations!
Mr. W's Words of Inspiration
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” ~ Charles Dickens
February Birthdays
We would like to wish all our clients and caregivers with birthdays in February a wonderful birthday. May your next year be full of promise, new adventures and your hearts’ desires. Happy Birthday! Clients - Mr. G, February 2 - Mrs. B, February 5 - Mrs. D, February 16 - Mr. F, February 17 - Mrs. H, February 19 Caregivers - Judy V, Feburary 8 - Irene D, February 23 |
American Heart Month
Got Heart?
Have you ever seen those commercials with young children where they drink a glass of milk and end up with a white mustache on their upper lip? You know, the “Got Milk” commercials? Those commercials were all about kids health (and selling their milk, of course). So what about our health? More specifically, our heart
health as adults?
According to the CDC, habits that contribute to bad heart health include unhealthy diets high in trans fats, saturated fats, and cholesterol; not participating in regular physical activity ie. not exercising enough; obesity; drinking too much alcohol (max: men 2 drinks per day, women 1 drink per day); regular use of tobacco products - such products can damage your heart and blood vessels along with your lungs. Each of these issues have been proven to contribute to heart disease. So what do we do?
Simple changes can make all the difference:
- Change our eating habits to healthier foods with lower fat content and higher nutrition values that are shown to stengthen heart muscles.
- Exercise more. Aerobic exercise is proven to enhance heart health through raising the heart rate.
- Drink moderately, or don’t drink. Consuming alcohol in recommended limitations will in turn limit the detrimental impact it could have on your heart.
- Don’t use tobacco products. Save your lungs, save your heart, save your blood vessels.
- Get regularly checked by your doctor, especially if you have a history of heart disease or high blood pressure in your family.
What About My “Heart”?
We’ve all heard the term “heart-broken” or “heart-sick”, but when you stop to think about it, what does that really mean? In this instance, our hearts are not a tangible, corporeal thing. Your “heart” is an abstract concept filled with abstract ideas like “love” and “feelings”. Do you know someone with a “broken heart” or who is “heart-sick”? In these situations, one may find it indicative of such
conditions as anxiety or depression. Signs may include fatigue, lethargy, loss of appetite, desire to do nothing. If you know someone in such a situation, encourage them to seek professional help. Scientists and modern medicine have come to realize the incredible link between our biological and intangible human-ness. Counseling and medication can do wonders for someone, especially when combined with healthy diet, exercise and habits.
Many have sought answers about the heart; ancient and modern philosophers alike - Plato, Socrates, Descartes - have thought, written and debated such ideas since time immemorial. The conclusion is ultimately the same: it is a mystery still unsolved, tied to our human condition, but forever worth exploring.