February recognizes several vital events: Black History Month, the Super Bowl, and American Heart Month. With Valentine’s Day approaching, it’s the perfect time to focus on heart matters, specifically managing stress.
Stress is a well-established risk factor for heart disease. There is a cascade of physiological responses that can damage the heart
🔥 Increased inflammation
🚬 Unhealthy behaviors (smoking, 🍾 excessive alcohol consumption, and 🍽 poor diet)
Increased blood pressure
Changes in the heart rhythm
Fitness devices are essential because they help you monitor your exercise and health, set goals, and stay motivated. 2013, I embraced the FitBit to motivate my exercise. Ten years later, in 2023, I upgraded my fitness device to an Oura Ring.
The Oura Ring tracks my daily vital signs for readiness, sleep, and resilience. Why a fitness ring? What is the benefit of wearing the fitness device on your finger? It offers more accurate readings for heart rate, stress levels, blood oxygen levels, and body temperature.
As I monitored the vital information provided by my Oura ring, I examined my daytime stress levels more closely. It’s normal for your body’s stress levels to rise when you’re active. However, listen to your body, and if you feel tired, take a moment to rest. Better yet, do a five-minute deep breathing exercise as self-care.
The physical symptoms overtaxing your body:
😩 Chest pain or discomfort
💔 Palpitations (rapid or irregular heartbeats)
🥱 Shortness of breath
🥵 Sweating
🥴 Dizziness
🤢 Nausea
😮💨 Fatigue
Emotional Symptoms:
😳 Anxiety
🤬 Irritability
🥺 Difficulty concentrating
💤 Sleep disturbances
If any or all physical or emotional symptoms persist, it is essential to seek medical advice. My goal is to raise awareness about the signs that indicate something may not be right with one’s well-being.
Heart Disease Risk Factors for Men and Women:
🆘 Family History
🔺 Age
🛑 High Cholesterol
🖍 High Blood pressure
🥊 Diabetes
⛑ Obesity
Most important of all, 1 in 3 deaths of women each year are due to heart disease. Some of the risk factors for women and heart disease are:
🔻 Low levels of Estrogen after menopause
😰 Mental stress or depression
⚖️ Metabolic syndrome
🚬 Smoking
Easy ways to improve your heart health:
🚬 Quit smoking
🏋🏾♂️ Exercise
💃🏾 Evaluate your lifestyle
❣️ Heart healthy diet
🍾 Limit alcohol
🩺 Get routine physical exams
#️⃣ Know your numbers (Cholesterol, blood pressure, and A1C)
In short, remaining active as much as possible is one of the best stress management methods. Even doing everyday housekeeping, such as gardening, is a good way to get in some physical activity. Don’t forget about fun activities like hula hooping!
Wishing you a fabulous day!
