Celebrate Good Heart Health This Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, but in February, we celebrate more than romance–we also celebrate hearts! February is American Heart Month, and it’s a great time of year to think about improving your cardiovascular health. Furthermore, physical therapy offers several great tools to help you get heart-healthy.
Your heart is the center of your cardiovascular system, working to pump fresh, oxygen-rich blood through your body so that it can function. Because your heart does so much for you, why not show it a little TLC this Valentine’s Day? Treating your heart right is a matter of making a few simple lifestyle changes–and you’ll find they’ll make you feel great, too!
The Achieve Therapy and Fitness team is excited to celebrate American Heart Month with you. Call us today to schedule an appointment!
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Treat Your Heart Right With These Self-Care Tips
While the idea of cardiovascular disease can be frightening, several simple steps can reduce the likelihood of developing it, including exercising more, reducing stress, and eating healthfully. Not sure how to get started? Take some time for yourself (and your heart) this Valentine’s Day with these fun, relaxing, and heart-healthy self-care ideas:
Sign Up for a Dance Class
Aerobic exercise is one of the best things you can do for your heart, and dance is a fantastic way to get your heart rate up. You’ll have so much fun that it won’t even feel like a workout!
Go For a Daily Walk
Walking is another great way to get your cardio in and help you destress. A 20-minute walk around your neighborhood is a quick, free addition to your daily routine. Being out in nature also offers psychological benefits, including lower stress and a better mood.
Choose Heart-Healthy Valentine’s Day Treats
Healthful eating doesn’t mean giving up holiday snacks. For example, high-quality dark chocolate has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, and fruits like strawberries and pomegranates are healthy, sweet, and festive for the season.
Cook a Healthy Romantic Meal
Celebrate Valentine’s Day with your sweetie by cooking a healthy, delicious meal centered around fruits and vegetables, whole grains, lean meats, and healthy fats like olive oil.
Take a Relaxing Bubble Bath
Reducing stress is as important to heart health as eating right and exercising. If you’ve been saving a bath bomb “for a special occasion,” now’s the time to pull it out! Then light some scented candles, shut the door, and relax with your favorite music or a good book.
Spend Some Time in Meditation
A few moments of quiet meditation every day can tremendously benefit your overall wellness. Mindfulness meditation, in which you slow down your thoughts and focus on your breath, has been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, decrease blood pressure, and lower the risk of cardiovascular disease.
How Physical Therapy Can Help with Heart Health
We want to help you live a heart-healthy lifestyle–in February and beyond. Our team of physical therapists is here to help you improve your heart health, whether it’s increased exercise or stress reduction strategies.
We’ll begin by evaluating your overall health status. If you’re experiencing any pain or mobility issues that might make exercise difficult, our physical therapists will provide hands-on treatments to help you feel better and get you moving and your heart pumping.
From there, we can help you develop a personalized exercise program to improve your cardiovascular fitness, strength, and flexibility. We can also walk you through some calming stretches to help slow down and reduce stress. We’re happy to offer guidance on specific mobility and overall health goals to ensure you’re living your healthiest, happiest life possible.
Celebrate Your Heart Health with Achieve Therapy and Fitness
We’re dedicated to the health and well-being of all our clients. So, if you want to learn more about heart health this Valentine’s Day, including tips for getting more physically active, call us to schedule an appointment. We’ll have your blood pumping in no time!
Five Indoor Cardio Workouts To Get Your Heart Pumping This February
February might be National Heart Month–but, in many places, it’s also one of the coldest months of the year. Snow, ice, and freezing temperatures can make it hard to go for a morning jog or hit the gym.
The good news? You still have plenty of options to get your cardio in, no matter what the weather is doing outside! Here are five of the Achieve Therapy and Fitness team’s favorite indoor cardio workouts (that don’t require any expensive equipment):
Jump Rope
Jump ropes are inexpensive and easy to store. They’re also a simple way to get your heart pumping while improving coordination. If jumping rope feels too intense for you, try bouncing up or down without a rope or perform some high knee marches.
Dance
Dancing is a fantastic cardio workout that–bonus–doesn’t feel like working out! You can opt for dance fitness videos (like Zumba) or just plug in a high-energy playlist and make up your own choreography.
Body Weight Circuits
Combine exercises like jumping jacks, mountain climbers, burpees, and high knees into a circuit for a quick, high-intensity cardio blast.
Stair Climbing
If you have stairs in your home, use them in place of your gym’s stair-stepper machine for an efficient cardio workout. You could also invest in an adjustable step block.
Online Aerobic Classes
Many studios offer online options (both live and prerecorded) for aerobic classes like HIIT, kickboxing, dance fitness, and more. Try different types until you find one you enjoy.
We Are Hiring for PTA and PT positions!
Interested in Joining Our Achieve Therapy & Fitness Team?
The team at Achieve Therapy, LLC takes joy in helping people in our communities Move Better, Feel Better & Play Better. If you are passionate about delivering quality care and making a real difference in people’s lives, we want you at Achieve Therapy! To fulfill our mission of helping people achieve “Performance for Life,” Achieve employs team members that are innovative, independent thinkers who have a willingness to learn and are coachable.
Recipe of the Month: Strawberry Chocolate Yogurt Parfaits
Ingredients:
- 2 cups plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 1–2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (optional, to taste)
- 1½ cups fresh strawberries, chopped into heart shapes
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips or shaved dark chocolate
- ½ cup granola (low-sugar if possible)
Instructions:
- Mix yogurt with honey or maple syrup if you want it sweeter.
- Layer yogurt, strawberries, and granola in clear cups or jars.
- Sprinkle dark chocolate between layers and on top.
- Repeat layers and finish with strawberries and a few chocolate shavings.
- Serve immediately or chill for 15–20 minutes.
Meet Our Team
Darcey Osowski
PCC | Billing Assistant
Your Journey Your Choice
Did you know we can see you for PT with or without a doctor or other healthcare provider’s referral? One of our physical therapists will evaluate you, and customize a treatment plan to reduce your pain and get you moving better. Refer yourself or someone you care about! Get started today!
