Heart Strong, Live Long

With heart disease remaining as the number one cause of death in America, taking steps to protect and maintain your cardiovascular health has never been more crucial. Your heart beats around 100,000 times a day – during class, at practice, while scrolling your phone, and even while you’re sleeping. It’s easy to forget about something that works nonstop without asking for attention. But our heart health affects how we think, feel, and function every day. Taking care of your heart isn’t a “future problem”, it starts here in the choices we make as students.

Addi Brooks, a state medalist, certainly knows the importance of heart health. After running track for three years and cross country for two, Addi has learned the value in caring for oneself and putting heart health first. Addi monitors her heart rate during meets and practices using her garmin watch. Addi says, “It tells me when I need to calm my body and sit down, and gives me alerts when my heart rate goes above or below a set heart rate. It’s all on an app too, and it shows heart history throughout the week. I like having it to make sure I’m not overworking my heart. ” Addi also makes sure to ensure that she is properly hydrated and eating well to support her heart function. “I try to get at least a water bottle and half every day, and I make sure to always eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Before a meet I eat carbs, and overall eat things that I know are healthy and will help me perform my best.” Addi also mentioned feeling the benefits of long distance running on her cardiovascular health. She states, “I feel more in shape, and I trust my heart more. There are heart problems in my family, and running decreases my risk of heart problems.”

Heart health is not reserved for elite athletes or adults later in life. It is something that begins with small consistent decisions that we make on the daily. It is something that begins with small, consistent choices made every day. Whether it’s choosing to take a brisk walk, learning how to read a nutrition label, drinking more water, or simply becoming more aware of how your body feels, every decision matters. As Mrs. Musiel emphasizes, giving students the power of choice allows them to take ownership of their health.

Mrs. Musiel, a health and physical fitness teacher, certainly knows her stuff when it comes to cardiovascular health. After teaching at LNS for 8 years she has spread her knowledge across our school and has benefitted so many students. In the classroom, Mrs. Musiei likes, “To use the power of choice.” In order to increase physical activity in her classes, she offers choices between circuit, a sport, or a brisk walk. She finds, “when students feel in control, they’re more likely to engage.” When it comes to encouraging students to make healthier food choices, Musiel, “never classifies foods as”good ” or “bad.” She rather teaches, “students how to look at and understand food labels so they can determine if this food is going to “fuel” them or just “fill” them.” She encourages her classes by doing “challenges where students learn to find their pulse and calculate their personal aerobic zones. They then perform different activities (walking, sprinting, burpees) to see exactly how their heart responds in real-time.” Mrs. Musiel encourages students to get moving, and recommends 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity every single day for teens.

Our hearts work tirelessly for us, whether that be during classes, practices, performances, or during sleep. Taking care of them is not about perfection, but awareness and action. By building healthy habits now, we are not only improving how we feel today but also protecting our future. After all, if we strengthen our hearts we strengthen our lives.