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February is Heart Health Awareness Month
Keep Your Child’s Heart Healthy: Habits to Start Early
When it comes to your child's health, do you think much about their risks for heart disease? Probably not, since so much of keeping kids healthy means dealing with the sore throats, scraped knees, and other ailments happening now. But recent research has prompted doctors and parents to take a second look at heart health in children.
The heart is a powerful organ that pumps blood to every part of our bodies. Without it, our cells and tissues would not get the oxygen they need or the nourishment from what we eat and drink. This is why, when our hearts aren't working right, our overall health suffers too.
Kids love to learn. This gives parents a natural advantage in helping them build good habits that help prevent heart disease. Here are everyday practices that will help you and your kids live a heart-healthy lifestyle:
- Eat well-Your family will benefit from a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, veggies and whole grains, lean meats, reduced-fat dairy products, beans and legumes. In fact, good nutrition is among top steps that can prevent most cardiovascular disease, which includes heart attack and stroke.
- Stay active-Whether families get their workouts from organized sports, active play, household chores or biking and walking instead of driving, it's all good! The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids over 6 years of age get at least 60 minutes of exercise each day.
- Maintain a healthy weight-Carrying extra pounds makes our hearts work harder, which can damage heart muscles. Higher body weight also contributes to high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes–three conditions linked with heart disease.
- Keep an eye on cholesterol- Cholesterol, the sticky, fatty buildup that can clog arteries, makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the body. A heart-healthy diet in childhood can set the stage for lower cholesterol levels in adulthood.
- Prioritize healthy sleep-Travel, seasonal changes and demanding sports or school schedules can disrupt your child's sleep. Still, it's crucial to create a solid foundation for regular rest. In fact, studies show that weight gain and poor food choices can stem from lost sleep! Listen to this Healthy Children podcast episode to learn about your child's sleep needs by age. Evidence shows that daily habits needed to help prevent heart trouble have more impact if they're learned early in life. Try these tips that can help minimize future heart disease risk for your child and your whole family.
To access the full article on childhood heart health, click here.
