Dr. Shelley Armstrong, a health educator and BS in Health Studies faculty member, believes that a lifetime of heart health begins in childhood. That’s why she founded YOUth FIT, a running program for kids.
YOUth FIT’s mission is to teach kids that exercise is not only integral to heart health, but it’s also fun. The program provides children with skills and fitness instruction for successful long-distance running. It also encourages and challenges children to exercise regularly and learn healthy lifestyle behaviors.
“Often adults are stuck in unhealthy habits, and it’s difficult for them to change a lifetime of those learned behaviors,” said Dr. Armstrong. “By teaching children healthy behaviors such as exercising and running, we are preparing them to maintain those lifestyles throughout adulthood.”
Even if you have not been heart healthy since childhood, you can still take steps to change your lifestyle. Because physical activity cuts the risk for heart disease in half, a regular running regimen is one of the most effective ways to prevent heart disease. In recognition of American Heart Month, Dr. Armstrong offers more tips to help reduce your risk for heart disease:
For additional tips and information on maintaining a healthy heart, please visit www.WaldenU.edu/hearthealth.