February is known as a month to focus on heart wellness with the American Heart Association as well as matters of the heart with Valentine’s Day and National Random Acts of Kindness Day.
Celebrated since the 14th Century, Valentine’s Day is much more than an opportunity to treat your spouse to chocolates and/or flowers. It can be a day to spend time with your family in a fun activity or a good excuse to drop a card in the mail to someone you care for and miss. It is an annual reminder to reflect on those with whom we share love and friendship and to demonstrate in some way our sincere thankfulness for them.
Taking time to demonstrate kindness and consideration for others in our lives is also a healthy way to relieve stress – both for them and for ourselves.
Whether friends, family, neighbors, coworkers or even a stranger, these acts of kindness can truly make a difference in someone’s day. It also has a boomerang effect on the giver. Even something as simple as a compliment or a card can show someone you care.
Research has shown that performing random acts of kindness can boost heart health. Acts of kindness are good for your body and mind. They increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion and improve mood as well as decrease blood pressure and cortisol, a stress hormone that directly impacts stress levels and heart health, according to the Mayo Clinic Health System.
On Feb. 17, which is National Random Acts of Kindness Day, consider boosting your own health and make someone’s day special at the same time. Ideas from randomactsofkindness.org range from being a friend to a lonely neighbor to being kind to a stranger. Other ideas include creating positive bookmarks and putting them in a book you share with someone, offering to help a senior neighbor with something they need, praising a local business online, or giving a generous tip to a server.
“Do a Good Turn Daily,” as we say in Boy Scouts, which also celebrates a special day this month on Feb. 8. Founded in 1910, by American W.D. Boyce, the Boy Scouts of America has helped shape many of our nation’s young men, including my two sons. The principles behind Boy Scouts apply not only in February, but all year long: To be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean and reverent. Find out more at scouting.org.
With American Heart Month this month, it is also important to do something to help your heart health.
According to the American Heart Association, going for a walk, taking a power nap or practicing deep breathing can help manage constant stress, which in turn reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Learn more about heart healthy tips from the American Heart Association at heart.org.
In whatever way you choose to celebrate February, know all that matters is that it comes from the heart.
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