Healthy Heart Month
February is Heart Health month. It’s a great time to make a pledge to yourself to keep your heart healthy and start good habits that will last throughout the year.
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, claiming the lives of more than 650,000 people each year. Let’s be part of the solution by helping to raise awareness of the risks of heart disease, remember loved ones we have lost, highlight achievements we have made, along with steps we can take to save more lives. With a focus on the unequal burden of heart disease in high-risk communities.
Often the personal steps we take on our own health journey can have a ripple effect ~ improving the healthy habits of our family and friends. What a great way to kick off 2022 and celebrate Valentine’s Day!
I invite you to participate in National Wear Red Day on Feb. 4, 2022.
Group Sessions
We are excited to announce a new way to support your health!
We had our first successful online Group Session in January and are excited to roll this option out this year! Group Sessions are a way to provide health education and medical support in a group setting. These sessions are led by a Sparkle Health Provider and occur monthly starting with a 15-20 minute talk on a specific health topic and ending with time for patient Q & A. You will have an open forum to share and ask questions.
Call Sparkle Health at (603) 328-8101 for more information and book your spot for this month!
Circulatory Massage
By Gina Toce, LMT, NH#7888, Reiki Master, Certified IET® Master Instructor
February is Heart Awareness month!
Normal, optimum blood flow is important for our whole body. As a massage therapist, many of the techniques that I use have a direct effect on the circulatory system. Because February is Heart Awareness month, at Sparkle Health we are kicking off a new offering ~ a special massage technique to support your Circulatory system, Circulatory Massage!
Who can benefit from this treatment? Honestly, everyone! This massage technique can support blood pressure variations (either high or low), varicosities, headaches, Raynaud’s disease, stress and anxiety, and other circulatory disorders. Improving your blood flow can even help with hemorrhoids! There are some restrictions, so I will review your charts carefully with Dr. Mercuro to ensure that this technique will be safe for you.
The goal of this technique is to restore/maintain full circulation. This is achieved by normalizing blood flow & directing flow to follow naturally intended pathways. My focus during this 30-minute session is on your circulation pattern, and not on muscle tension. I will be moving blood through your system by compressing the tissues overlying and surrounding the accessible vessels. The compression is transmitted to the vessels themselves, and acts as an imposed vasoconstriction, or artificial heartbeat, to “pump” the blood along.
We finish off the treatment with a 5-10 minute rest period, so your body has time to settle into the new pattern. Most find it very relaxing and love the effects that they see in their circulatory system. Contact us through the patient portal or call our office to get yourself scheduled; your body will thank you!
Everybody Wants A Healthy Heart
10 Heart Heath Tips
- Stay Active
“do something active every day”
- aerobic exercise
- strength training
- avoid sitting too long
- exercise regularly
- park farther away from work and stores
- do a 5-minute workout during your break
- Increase fiber and color foods in your diet
- eat 7-10 servings of fruits & veggies a day: “decreases cholesterol, increase antioxidants & phytonutrients for your heart”
- half of your plate should be non-starchy vegetables!
- try a protein smoothie ~ add fruit, spinach & kale for breakfast
- Increase healthy fats / avoid trans fats
- more fish
- more avocados
- oats sweep up the cholesterol in the digestive tract
- berries & citrus ~ flavonoids & anthocyanins in berries dilate blood vessels & reduce blood pressure
- fatty fish ~ wild saltwater fish, such as salmon and halibut are loaded with heart-protective omega-3 fatty acids ~ reducing triglycerides and lowering blood pressure and the risk of heart arrhythmia and atherosclerosis “if you don’t eat fish, fish oil supplements can offer similar powerful protection”
- try coconut oil instead of veg. oil
- snack on nuts and seeds to reduce inflammation
“supports heart and brain cells with the healthy fats they need” - avoid trans fats ~ clog arteries, increase stroke & heart attacks
- read food labels ~ look for 0% trans-fat
- Practice good dental hygiene
- brush twice a day
- floss daily
“gum disease & bacteria ~ linked to elevated heart disease risk”
- Optimize Sleep
“research shows a 50% increase in heart disease when sleep drops to 5-6 hrs. per night from 7-8 hrs.”
- aim for 7-8 hrs or more of sleep per night
- evaluate and treat for sleep apnea if present
- turn off all electronics 1-2 hrs before bedtime
“avoid checking emails, listening to news or using your phone/computer close to bedtime”
- Live, Love, Laugh
“just as negative emotions are shown to increase our risk for heart disease, studies show that happiness seems to protect our heart”
- involve yourself in things that bring you joy
- dedicate at least 20 min every day to an activity that is fun for you
- give appreciation to others
- push yourself to dance, laugh, & have fun
- Balance in your life
“strive to create and maintain a healthy life/work balance with regular self-care”
- mitigate stress as much as possible
- try activities like walking, meditation, yoga or deep breathing
- try guided meditations (easy apps Headspace, Insight Timer)
- Reduce abdominal weight
“extra weight in the belly region can drive inflammation which is linked to an increased heart disease risk”
- try easy abdominal exercises ~ if you don’t like sit-ups – try leg lifts, riding a bike, taking a brisk walk, dance in your living room
“talk to a health coach or functional medicine doctor and they may have you try a Keto diet, detox, or intermittent fasting”
- Improve your heart health markers
“ask a provider to check your risk markers”
“below are things your provider may decide to include in that test”
- expanded Cholesterol profile
- hsCRP, cardiac inflammatory marker
- homocysteine, B vitamin methylation, MTHFR gene
- work with your functional medicine practitioner to make changes and optimize your markers
- Reduce exposure to compounds harmful to your heart
- reduce and quit smoking
- avoid to many chemicals ~ cleaning products, hair dye, weed killers, artificial ingredients, etc…
- avoid excessive alcohol intake
Some Special Days in February
TUE 1 Black History Month
TUE 1 Chinese New Year
WED 2 Groundhog Day
THU 3 National Women Physicians Day (Wish One A Happy Day)
FRI 4 World Cancer Day
FRI 4 National Wear Red Day (Recognition of Heart Disease)
FRI 4 Rosa Parks Day
FRI 11 International Day of Women & Girls in Science
SAT 12 Lincoln’s Birthday
SUN 13 Galentine’s Day
SUN 13 Super Bowl Sunday (Recipes for Healthy Snacks)
MON 14 Valentine’s Day (Never to Early for a Spring Drink)
THU 17 Random Acts of Kindness Day (One Small Gesture)
MON 21 Presidents’ Day
TUE 22 George Washington’s Birthday
MON 28 Rare Disease Day
