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How Your Community is Good For Your Heart
February is American Heart Month, and we don’t mean the romantic kind we celebrate on Valentine’s Day!
The first American Heart Month was established in 1964 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, who’d been among the millions of people who suffered from heart attacks. Since then, February has been annually spotlighted as a time when our nation shines light on heart health and encourages healthy habits to help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
With heart disease being a health threat to Americans, it’s increasingly important to reinforce healthy habits and lifestyles. You can take an active role in maintaining a healthy heart by embracing a balanced diet, engaging in physical activity, and spending time outdoors.
But have you ever thought of how your local community and the people around you play a part in your heart health? Your relationship and interconnectedness with your local community creates a larger impact on your health than you may think!
Let’s dive into how elements for a heart-healthy lifestyle are all interwoven into the community you live in and why a strong, healthy community is good for your heart and continuing your active lifestyle.
Going Local
Interesting fact, but did you know that the distance between your home and the closest grocery store can have a big impact on your health?
Eating plenty of fruits and plant-based foods like legumes, vegetables, and whole grains is consistently linked to improved heart health, so where and how you can attain a healthy diet is pretty important.
Healthy communities that break barriers to affordable, nutritious food options provide easy access to fresh produce by connecting residents to nearby grocery stores and local farmers. Considering the community location is a step in keeping your heart health in check.
At times when you don’t want to make the trip to the grocery store but still want a healthy and delicious home-cooked meal, you could opt for a meal delivery service that brings fresh ingredients with simple recipes directly to you. In partnership with Arden, Hungry Harvest works with local farmers to deliver produce and groceries to residents who are also passionate about investing in healthy, plant-based eating habits.
Arden is continually committed to learning the best new nutrition trends and creating a happy and healthy residential community. From the convenience of location to healthy meal delivery services through local partnerships, Arden connects the broader community to you for a healthier and more accessible lifestyle.
Staying Fit With Your Community
Whether it’s walking your dog, biking, or practicing yoga, any way to actively move everyday helps play a key role in the prevention of heart disease.
However, engaging in physical activity consistently each week is no easy feat.
Having a fitness buddy or even a whole community with an active-living mindset can provide support, accountability, and even healthy competition. That’s because being active is always fun with people who are working towards a heart-healthy lifestyle like you.
And when you have a community like Arden that encourages resident-driven adventure and active living, staying fit with your community becomes second nature.
Ask a neighbor to go on a walk or consider participating in a group fitness program for a fun way to enjoy exercising with other people.
Presence of Green Space
A community that emphasizes the value of nature may also understand the connection between improved physical/mental health from being outdoors and a healthy heart.
Studies have shown that being around Mother Nature lowered levels of cortisol, which is a hormone that’s a marker for stress. Less stress is better for your heart health and so is a healthy amount of Vitamin D from sunlight, which can help prevent various diseases like heart attacks, strokes, and osteoporosis.
Building a culture around nature for residents can translate to the presence of parks and accessible green spaces. Besides being an ideal place for you to walk and play sports, having abundant green space in your environment is associated with lower stress levels and greater overall well-being.
From a long-term perspective, getting in touch with nature can help improve physical, mental, and social health and reduce the risk of health issues like heart disease. Spending time outdoors allows you to relax, experience calmness, and reset with a better mind – it’s one of the easiest ways to improve your overall well being.
In 2020, researchers at Cornell University found that just 10 minutes in a natural setting can help us feel happier and lessen the effects of both physical and mental stress. Whether you’re at a park or in your backyard, a deep breath of fresh air can clear your lungs, give you more energy, and lower your blood pressure and heart rate.
This is why Arden living communities for those 55 and wiser are thoughtfully designed to allow residents access to healthier lifestyles through the surrounding environment. We also encourage residents to bring a little bit of nature into their own homes by caring for a small houseplant or even growing an indoor herb garden.
Neighborly Love
A strong community is defined slightly differently by everyone, but we all need one to thrive.
Observations of Blue Zones, areas of the world where people routinely live much longer, show that vibrant, loving communities are one of the greatest predictors of a healthy heart and life. The journey to a healthier heart and lifestyle is shared among the community and you ultimately become each other’s motivation to stay healthy and transform into the best version of yourself!
Not only does being part of a community expand our network of resources and allow us to ride out tough times together, it gives us purpose. After all, it’s nothing but human nature to connect, feel joy, and love around others.
By providing intentionally designed spaces for resident-driven activities, Arden communities have laid the groundwork to create happier and healthier experiences for residents.
The health of your heart is intertwined with the environment you’re in, and this is why creating meaningful relationships and social interactions with others is an integral part in your overall well being. Residents are set up for exciting experiences with less stress, and more opportunities to make new friends and lasting memories.
Thinking of Joining Our Arden Community?
Arden’s fresh focus on healthy, active-adult living is all built on our emphasis on a strong and close-knit community.
If you’re 55 and wiser and looking for an active living community that blends accessible amenities for a healthy heart and resident driven experiences to foster meaningful relationships, then look no further than Arden.
Fill out our contact form here for more information and our friendly team will reach out to you shortly!
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