February is the month of the heart. Not just for Valentine's Day but also for heart and stroke awareness month.
For this week's paper, I had a chance to chat with Dr. Michelle Cunningham, a family physician who practices out of Premier Health in Okotoks.
In talking with her, I learned some tangible tips for maintaining a healthy heart.
Eating lots of veggies and lean meats while limiting sugars and starches were her tips.
I don't know about you but eating well doesn't pose a huge challenge for me because I have some allergies that limit my diet anyway. Exercise is where I have some difficulty. I have a different degree of laziness when it comes to working out.
Dr. Cunningham told me that everyone should aim to get 150 minutes of exercise a week, even if it's just short, 10-minute walks.
I know I can do a better job at getting out and getting my feet moving – even just around the block is a great habit to get into.
Eating a good diet, getting regular exercise and evaluating drinking and smoking habits are key to managing one's risk of heart attack and stroke.
I'm young, but I figure it's never too late to invest in your health and take stock of the practices that make up your day-to-day life.
For me, that means going for a walk when I get home from work instead of setting up camp on the couch and refrain from banking up my glasses of wine for Saturday evening... Read my story on page 7 of this week's Western Wheel for more details on this one.