Celebrate Healthy Hearts with Body & Soul Fitness

February is American Heart Health month and as any fitness organization, Body & Soul is all about celebrating healthy hearts and helping people strive toward the best heart health possible. According to the Cleveland Clinic, our hearts beat 100,000 times a day, pumping 1.5 gallons of blood each minute, and are about the size of our hands clasped together. In addition to these important and informative facts, here are a few things about our hearts that you may not know:

• A woman’s average heartbeat is faster than a man’s by almost 8 beats per minute.
• The more education you have, the lower your risk of heart disease.
• The first heart pacemakers plugged into a wall socket.
• Modesty prompted the invention of the stethoscope. Doctors pressed their ears directly against a patient’s chest to hear the heartbeat prior to its invention.

Regular exercise is the single most important key to heart health, and the American Heart Association makes the following recommendations for exercise based on the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, second edition, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion:

• Get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic activity, or a combination of both, preferably spread throughout the week.
• Add moderate- to high-intensity muscle-strengthening activity (such as resistance or weights) on at least 2 days per week.
• Spend less time sitting. Even light-intensity activity can offset some of the risks of being sedentary.
• Gain even more benefits by being active at least 300 minutes (5 hours) per week.
  Increase amount and intensity gradually over time.

At Body & Soul Fitness, we aren’t only celebrating healthy physical hearts – we also love helping people strive toward the best spiritual heart health as well. As we meet in groups to challenge our physical cardiovascular systems, we also exercise spiritually. We hear Scripture song in the lyrics of upbeat, motivating music. We pray together and share stories that make up these beautiful lives we live. And we support one another as we pursue balanced, active lifestyles. Join us this month in a class in your area. We would love to celebrate with you!

Amy Stafford is the President of Body & Soul Fitness, certified personal trainer, ACE faculty and ACE Group Fitness Instructor. She is a leader in the fitness industry and a popular speaker for women’s events, retreats, fitness conferences. For information on booking Amy for your event or for an interview please email amy@bodyandsoul.org. Amy currently teaches in the Williamsburg, VA area.