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Staying active is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. And keeping your heart healthy is a great way to keep your loved ones’ hearts happy. Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S.1, but it isn’t a “normal” part of aging. Even if it runs in your family, heart disease isn’t inevitable. Maintaining a healthy weight and keeping your cholesterol and blood pressure at healthy levels will greatly reduce your risk of dying from heart disease.2 The best way to do that is to commit to a healthy lifestyle.

To reduce your risk of heart disease:

  1. Stop smoking. The toxic chemicals in cigarettes negatively impact the functionality of your heart and blood vessels, which leads to a build-up of plaque in your heart arteries.3
  2. Choose healthy foods. Good nutrition helps keep a host of critical risk factors in check — cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, weight4 — and you’ll feel better, which could lead to other good habits like exercising
  3. Stay active. Take a daily walk, stretch or do yoga, take a fitness class, ride a bike—as little as 10 minutes a day of physical activity can deliver some health benefits.5
  4. Limit alcohol. Having more than two drinks per day for men, and one per day for women, can increase your risk of high blood pressure and obesity, which both increase the risk of heart disease.6
  5. Relax. Learning to manage stress is important to your mental health and your heart health.

Go heart-healthy with SilverSneakers®.

SilverSneakers is the nation’s leading fitness and lifestyle program for seniors, and it’s included in your Blue KC health plan. SilverSneakers gives you the tools you need to stay active and healthy and an entire community of support. Eighty-eight percent of members say SilverSneakers improved their quality of life.7

SilverSneakers includes:

  • memberships to thousands of participating locations8  nationwide – visit as many as you wish!
  • classes for all fitness levels9
  • group fitness programs outside traditional gyms9
  • instructors trained specifically in senior fitness
  • health and nutrition tips along with SilverSneakers On-DemandTM videos
  • SilverSneakers GOTM mobile app with workout programs, location finder and more

GET STARTED TODAY

Questions? Visit SilverSneakers.com or call 1-888-423-4632 (TTY: 711), Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET.

Always talk with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Sources:

  1. American Heart Association, www.heart.org/idc/groups/ahamah-public/@wcm/@sop/@smd/documents/downloadable/ucm_491265.pdf, Accessed 12/21/2017
  2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “Prevention: What You Can Do,” www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/what_you_can_do.htm
  3. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/smoking-and-your-heart, Accessed 12/3/2019
  4. American Heart Association, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/nutrition-basics/aha-diet-and- lifestylerecommendations, Accessed 12/3/2019
  5. American Heart Association, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-in-adults, Accessed 12/3/2019
  6. American Heart Association, www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/healthy-eating/eat-smart/ nutrition-basics/alcohol-and-heart-health Accessed 12/3/2019
  7. 2018 SilverSneakers Annual Participant Survey
  8. Participating locations (“PL”) are not owned or operated by Tivity Health, Inc. or its affiliates. Use of PL facilities and amenities is limited to terms and conditions of PL basic membership. Facilities and amenities vary by PL.
  9. Membership includes SilverSneakers instructor-led group fitness classes. Some locations offer members additional classes. Classes vary by location.

SilverSneakers is a registered trademark of Tivity Health, Inc. SilverSneakers On-Demand and SilverSneakers GO are trademarks of Tivity Health, Inc. © 2020 Tivity Health, Inc. All rights reserved. SSFP10300_1219

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