If you haven’t yet had a chance to read my letters to the community, my name is Shane Knisley and I’m the President of Mercy Health – Clermont Hospital.
As you probably know, February is Heart Month. Valentine’s Day gives us a good opportunity to remind those we cherish of our love for them. The entire month give us a fantastic way to show our love for ourselves and others thanks to its focus on heart health.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide. It is also the leading cause of diseases resulting in a disability. Luckily, there are things you can do to decrease your risk of getting heart disease and its related health issues:
· Stop smoking
· Don’t drink too much alcohol
· Take steps to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol if either or both are high by eating a healthy, low sodium diet and remember not to skip breakfast
· Exercise at least 30 minutes daily and include some weightlifting in your routine
· Lose weight if you are obese or overweight
· Work to eliminate stressors
· Get a good night’s sleep
· Take good care of your teeth
· Get regular check ups from a primary care doctor
· Know your family history for heart disease and see if cardiologist if you need to
I know, I know, easier said than done, right? Yet even the smallest changes in your diet and exercise habits can reduce your risk – or the risk of someone you love – of getting heart disease. And there’s no need to do everything at once. You can start by focusing on the risk factors you can treat and control, such as high cholesterol, alcohol intake and tobacco use, and build from there.
If exercise is one the risk reducing strategies that appeals to you, I encourage you to consider taking part in the American Heart Association’s 2022 Cincinnati Heart Mini-Marathon and Walk. Mercy Health sponsors the 5K Heart Walk, a fun and gentle event that brings out thousands of people to celebrate heart health.
The competitive bunch at Clermont Hospital is working hard to raise money for the event and beat our 2021 fundraising total. We currently have more than 200 employees participating in the Heart Mini and collectively, as of February 16, we have raised over $10,000.
The money we’ve raised will help fund lifesaving science that can create an artificial heart valve, prevent a stroke, put scientific advances into doctors’ hands, correct heart defects in newborn babies and someday, find a cure for high blood pressure. And as a bonus, walking in the Heart Mini on Sunday, March 13 will help each of us have a healthier heart.