Heart Health Month Informs Students at Washington School

The Washington Primary School community closed out Heart Health Month by wearing red and moving throughout the day. The public information campaign ran the entire month of February, with students being educated and informed.

“Two-minute dance breaks took place throughout the day to increase our heart rate and exercise the heart,” Principal Michelle Richards said. “Washington Winners danced in their classrooms and the hallways to line dances such as Cha-Cha Slide, Cotton Eye Joe, Cupid Shuffle and Follow the Leader to name a few. The third grade students engaged in an afternoon of walking and running around the perimeter of the field. They ended the activities by forming a group heart.”

According to the Heart Foundation, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. But it is also one of the most preventable.

“American Heart Month, observed every February, is a time to raise awareness about heart disease; the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States,” states the Heart Foundation website. “This national campaign, first declared in 1964, serves as a reminder to take charge of our heart health through education, prevention, and support for life-saving research.”

The American Red Cross stresses that “choosing healthy habits is vitally important. Diet is of upmost concern. Select healthy meal and snacks, making sure that fresh fruits and vegetables head up the list. Avoid foods loaded with saturated and trans-fats. Choose instead high fiber foods. Limit salt in preparing meals. Too much salt, and sugar, may cause blood pressure to rise too high.”

The ARC adds that “Keeping a healthy weight and limiting alcoholic intake plays into prevention of heart disease. Two drinks a day for men and one for women is the standard measurement. Do not smoke! Get regular physical activity to maintain a healthy weight, lower blood pressure, blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. It is recommended that adults get 2.5 hours of moderately intense exercise, such as biking or brisk walking, every week. Children and adolescents should get one hour a day.”