Over the past six years, our company has raised more than $6.5 million in funds towards fighting stroke and heart disease. We’re encouraging you to join us this Heart Month by visiting one of our participating Pilot, Flying J, or One9 travel centers and rounding up your purchase to the nearest whole dollar or purchasing a $1, $3 or $5 paper heart. All proceeds will support the life-saving work of the American Heart Association (AHA) in the U.S. and the Heart & Stroke Foundation (HSF) in Canada.
In addition to our round-up campaign, we are also spreading heart-health awareness to our team members through hands-only CPR training videos, on-site CPR training here at our headquarters in Knoxville, virtual cooking classes, and more!
To kick off this year’s Heart Month, check out these 8 key tips from AHA for a healthier, more balanced you:
Life’s Essential 8™ is a science-based recipe for a longer, healthier life. Created by the American Heart Association, Life’s Essential 8 identifies the most important factors for cardiovascular health – 4 health behaviors and 4 health factors. It truly simplifies cardiovascular health so people can better understand and manage it.
Many know that the mind, heart, and body are connected. Factors that affect one can affect the other two – the impact can be positive OR negative. Improving Life’s Essential 8 isn’t just good for your heart, it’s also good for your overall health and well-being.
So, let’s dive right in and see what changes we can make now for a longer life.
Life’s Essential 8
1. Eat Better
Little by little, make smarter choices like reducing highly processed foods and limiting sugary beverages. Small steps lead to big results!
2. Be More Active
Smart small, even if it’s 15 minutes a day! Yard work, dancing, walking your dog and cleaning your house all count as movement.
3. Quit Tobacco
On average, smokers due more than 10 years earlier than nonsmokers. After just one year of quitting, your risk for heart disease goes down by HALF. Having a buddy system can help with the common struggles of quitting.
4. Get Health Sleep
Most adults need at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night, including weekends. Consistency is key! Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, weekends included.
5. Manage Weight
Maintaining a healthy body mass index is a healthy gauge. Optimal BMI is 25.
6. Control Cholesterol
HDL = good.
LDL = bad.
HDL helps keep LDL from sticking to artery walls and reduces plaque build-up. Healthy cholesterol levels can lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.
7. Manage Blood Sugar
Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (or blood sugar) that our bodies use as energy. The first step to managing your blood sugar is to understand what makes blood sugar levels rise.
8. Manage Blood Pressure
Keeping your blood pressure within acceptable ranges can keep you healthier longer. Levels less than 120/80 mm Hg are optimal. High blood pressure is defined as 130-139 mm Hg systolic pressure (the top number in a reading) or 80-89 mm Hg diastolic pressure (bottom number).
Better cardiovascular health helps lower the risk for heart disease, stroke and other major health problems.
Not sure where to start? Remember, it’s all connected – mind, body, and heart. You can start a positive chain reaction. Something as simple as moving your body can spark a positive shift. You don’t have to make BIG life changes to see the benefits. Just add a little more activity to your day and take things one step at a time. You’ve got this!
To learn more about Life’s Essential 8, click here. And to see how you can participate in this year’s round-up campaign supporting the American Heart Association and the Canadian Heart & Stroke Foundation, visit https://pilotflyingj.com/heart-month.
