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Tag: heart health

Looking For Love

This month Anne is looking for love! Your love story, that is.

Did you know that your social connections can have as much of a positive effect on your health and well being as a good diet, and adequate sleep? Studies show that people who maintain healthy relationships live longer healthier lives. I regularly do this loving kindness meditation and when the woman on the recording says “think of someone who, the moment you think of them you feel happy” I think of my little buddy Jonah.

Anne n Jonah thanksgiving 2016

Who makes your heart sing? This can be your grandchild, sibling, spouse, dog, a random stranger. I would love to hear a few words about an experience you had with your special person, or just a feeling you have when you are around them. Share your love story on Fluid’s Facebook page or in the comments below. Want to see my love stories? Click here.

Go RED For Women Friday February 3rd

Friday February 3rd is National Wear Red Day part of the American Heart Association’s campaign for heart attack and stoke education and prevention.

Heart disease and stroke cause 1 in 3 deaths among women each year, killing approximately one woman every 80 seconds. The good news is 80 percent of cardiac and stroke events may be prevented with education and action. So what can you do?

1. Know your numbers.

While some risk factors like age and heredity are out of your control, there are factors that you can manage, including maintaining a healthy weight, and managing your stress.

2. Maintain a strong support network.

This may include your medical professionals, mental health counselor, spouse, or the ladies in your Pilates class. Who can you go to for information, support, or to blow off steam at the end of the day?

3. Take Action.

What one thing can you do today to improve your heart health? Can you meet a buddy for a lunch time walk? Pick out one healthy recipe (I have loads of them here, just click the recipes tab to the right) to make this weekend, sit for five minutes and focus on your breath?

How can I support you as you take care of your heart?

And lastly, who needs me to bring them a red Fluid shirt? Sorry couldn’t help the shameless promotion. Plus the new shirts are super cute 🙂

Michelle Fluid shirt 1.17

Anne McCranie is a Portland, Oregon based personal trainer and licensed massage therapist. She offers one on one movement + massage sessions, and weekly classes at her Sellwood studio.

Can Being Happy Protect Your Heart?

According to a recent study your outlook can and does affect your heart health.  People with the most negative emotions had the highest risk for heart disease and people who scored highest for happiness had the lowest risk.  One possible explanation was that happier people tend to lead healthier lives; eating better, sleeping better and getting more exercise.

“Naturally happy people certainly do experience depression and other negative emotions from time to time”, lead researcher Karina W. Davidson, PhD, of Columbia University Medical Center tells WebMD. “But this is usually situational and transient.”

“If we are able to change people’s level of positive effect we may be able to lower their risk for heart disease,” Davidson says.

She recommends devoting at least 15 to 20 minutes a day to doing something enjoyable and relaxing. And make sure this activity is not the first thing to be abandoned on a busy day.

As with a lot of things in life deciding to be happy is a simple concept, but not always easy to implement.  Here are some tips on how you can bring more happiness to your life:

  • Express gratitude to those around you.  Say “thank you” and “I appreciate you” often.
  • Take a moment at the beginning of the day and imagine your day going smoothly as if you were watching it unfold on a movie screen.
  • Practice forgiveness.
  • Take note of even small good things that happen to you during the day.  Did someone let you in on the freeway?  Did you step right up at the coffee shop without having to wait in line?

I recently heard the phrase “inverse paranoid” which means instead of believing the world is out to get you, you believe that everyone is plotting to do good things for you.  What a great concept!