Eating Breakfast May Help your Heart

June 26, 2019

A new study has found a link between regularly skipping breakfast and heart disease-related death. It has long been known that eating in the morning can lower the likelihood of conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, and high cholesterol. This study is the first direct connection between eating breakfast and heart-related fatality. However, additional evidence is still needed in regards to long-term outcomes in the general population.

In the study, researchers examined data from 6,550 participants in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. In interviews, 59% of participants reported eating breakfast every day, while 25% ate breakfast some days. A combined 16% said they ate breakfast rarely or never.

The study found that people who never ate breakfast had a more than 85% increased risk of heart-related death, compared to those who always ate breakfast. Additional research is needed to determine the specific factors that contribute to the negative heart effects, but in the meantime, experts recommend making breakfast a part of your routine, every day.

How to Make Breakfast Part of the Routine

• Keep it simple: Don’t think you need to make a multi-course meal. Find an option that is easy and accessible on busy mornings.
• Find healthy on-the-go options: Instant oatmeal, yogurt, fruit or toast are great ideas for in-office breakfasts.
• Use the freezer: Make a big batch of egg burritos and freeze them individually for grab-and-go meals.
• Blend it: Smoothies are a great option for long commutes. Mix frozen fruit, yogurt, milk and any additional mix-ins for a fast and filling breakfast. Spinach, protein powder or nut butter are great choices.

Protect the hearts of those around you by taking a CPR/AED and first aid course at one of HeartCert CPR’s convenient Minnesota locations. Register for a course today.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule! We offer a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR).

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

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Is Yoga Heart-Healthy?

May 29, 2019

Yoga has been increasing in popularity in Minnesota, with classes being offered in studios, gyms and retail stores, on lakeshores and outdoors in winter, with goats (yes, goats) and more. If you’re embarking on a fitness journey to improve your heart health, you may wonder whether yoga will actually benefit your heart. Good news: studies have found that both the physical and mental aspects of yoga are good for the heart.

Studying the effects of yoga is somewhat difficult. This is because there are many different forms, and classes are held at different lengths and intensities. But initial research shows that yoga’s primary benefit is reducing stress, which lowers blood pressure, heart rate, inflammation and more.

Yoga appears to have a positive effect on physical health as well. One study found that people who practiced had lower cholesterol, blood pressure and triglycerides than people who didn’t exercise. There are obvious benefits of stretching and strengthening the body, of course. Researchers think yoga may encourage participants to engage in other healthy behaviors, like moving more and eating a healthier diet.

So if you’re looking to lower your heart disease risk, give yoga a try! And make sure that you’re prepared if a fellow practitioner should suffer a cardiac event – sign up for a HeartCert CPR class today.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule! We offer a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR).

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

The post Is Yoga Heart-Healthy? appeared first on HeartCert CPR Training.

The Easiest Way to Prevent Heart Disease: Physical Activity

May 23, 2019

What do you think of when you hear the term “physical activity?” Do you think of hours at the gym, on the treadmill or lifting weights? Do you think of running long distances, doing exercise videos, or trudging through workouts you hate?

If so, you may need to refresh your views on physical activity. Because it doesn’t have to be an unpleasant, time-consuming chore – it can be as simple as working in your garden, walking around the block or having a dance party in your kitchen. And the benefits to your health – both physical and mental – are worth finding an activity you enjoy.

According to medical professionals, physical activity is key to heart health, specifically. Moving your body on a regular basis improves the strength of the heart muscle, the health of the arteries, and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Physical activity moves oxygen throughout the body more efficiently, and helps your brain perform better. It releases feel-good endorphins that boost mental health and well-being.

Not sure how to get started? Keep it simple. Take the stairs at work, or walk to the store instead of driving. Rake leaves or shovel snow. Walk or, yes, run. Do whatever appeals to you, because that will keep you committed.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, or 75 minutes at a more vigorous intensity. That can be broken up into 20 or even 10 minutes chunks, and should ideally be combined with strength and flexibility exercises.

When it comes to physical activity and heart health, every little bit counts! 

If someone in your family or workplace suffers cardiac arrest, are you prepared? Sign up for a HeartCert CPR class today.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule! We offer a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR).

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

The post The Easiest Way to Prevent Heart Disease: Physical Activity appeared first on HeartCert CPR Training.

How Irregular Sleep Affects Heart Health

May 17, 2019

A new study has found that people with irregular sleep patterns are at a higher risk of heart disease and cardiovascular events such as stroke, coronary heart disease and congestive heart failure. Irregular sleep patterns are defined as night-to-night differences in duration of sleep, as well as the times at which a person went to bed and woke up. Because many of us likely experience these irregularities, it’s important to understand the risk and take action.

In the study, researchers used monitoring devices to track the sleep of nearly 2,000 people for seven days each, then followed each participant for about four years. None of the participants had heart disease at the start of the study. But during that time, 95 people experienced heart disease, heart failure or stroke, sometimes fatal.

Researchers found that people for whom time spent sleeping varied by more than two hours from night to night were 2.2 times more likely to suffer from some form of heart disease in the succeeding years. Those who had a varying bedtime of 90 minutes or more had double the heart disease risk.

So how can we improve our sleep? Doctors advise minimizing the use of mobile devices before bed. This is because the blue light from screens can interfere with sleep quality and regularity. Track your sleep using a wearable device or simply a journal to understand and improve your schedule.

If someone in your family or workplace suffers cardiac arrest, are you prepared? Sign up for a HeartCert CPR class today.

HeartCert CPR is your trusted training partner for First Aid and CPR in the Twin Cities and throughout Minnesota. We now offer online, night and weekend classes to fit your busy schedule! We offer a variety of courses, including CPR/AED/First Aid and CPR/AED, Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Emergency Medical Responder – First Responder (EMR).

Find your CPR class at any of our convenient Twin Cities locations, including our new headquarters, HeartCert CPR Eagan.

The post How Irregular Sleep Affects Heart Health appeared first on HeartCert CPR Training.