Healthy hearts far beyond Valentine’s Day

It may be the shortest month of the year, but February is filled with heart. With Valentine’s Day nearly here, stores are overflowing with chocolate hearts, candy hearts and stuffed animals bearing hearts. We may think of the heart as a symbol of love, but it’s more accurately described as a symbol of life.

Our hearts pump oxygen to every cell of our bodies in less than a minute. The heart is an amazing organ, and my students will tell you that it is the strongest muscle in your body. Each day in physical education class, our kids exercise to make their hearts even stronger and to deliver plenty of oxygen to their bodies and brains. They know that if they exercise each day, they will feel better, become more fit and be ready to learn in the classroom. Our kids know this.

Exercise is magic. It’s a mood-lifter, a sleep-aid, a diet device and a brain-booster. Every Jan. 1, gym memberships increase, exercise classes fill up and stores empty of home exercise equipment. Our New Year’s resolutions often involve annual promises to live a healthier lifestyle. It is important to eat right and exercise. We know this.

Nonetheless, heart disease remains the No. 1 killer in the United States. More than one in three men have heart disease, and more than one in three women die from it each year. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), deaths from heart disease have declined by 33 percent over the past decade, yet more than 2,150 Americans continue to die each day from heart attack, stroke or other heart ailments. This is an average of one death every 40 seconds.

The good news is that most of the risk factors for heart disease are preventable or controllable. Smoking, inactivity, obesity and high blood pressure all raise the risk of heart disease. By succeeding with this year’s New Years resolutions (quitting smoking, exercising daily and eating a healthy diet), you can reduce your risk.

In physical education classes across Alaska, students are participating in two great programs to strengthen their own hearts and to increase awareness of the connection of physical activity to heart health.

Alaska’s Healthy Futures is an incentive-based program in which students track their exercise outside of the school day to earn activity-based prizes. More than 10,000 students in Alaska are participating, including students from 11 Mat-Su elementary schools. Healthy Futures is a great way for the whole family to play together, creating healthy heart habits to last a lifetime.

“Jump Rope for Heart” is a nationwide program of the AHA and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. The Jump Rope for Heart program provides children with knowledge of heart disease while raising funds for cardiovascular disease research and health education. It is also a great workout and provides lots of challenge and creativity with just a simple, inexpensive jump rope.

Next week will offer another opportunity for parent-teacher conferences in our schools. Make it a point to stop in the gym and visit with your child’s physical education teacher. Ask about Jump Rope for Heart and see if your child’s school is participating in Healthy Futures. Ask for opportunities to volunteer. You will be amazed to discover what your children are learning in the gym and on the playground. You may even decide to come back the following week to participate. Get your heart pumping along with your child!

This February, let’s celebrate our hearts by taking care of them. Happy Valentines Day!

Nancy Blake is the physical education teacher at Goose Bay Elementary School. She has been teaching and coaching in the Mat-Su Borough School District since 1995.