The heart is the most powerful organ in our body. Our hearts are strong. In fact, did you know our heart muscle is strong enough to lift 3,000 pounds? Your heart pumps the 6 quarts of blood within your body a distance equivalent to 12,000 miles every single day. The blood vessels fed by your heart are more than 60,000 miles long, and if laid side by side, they could wrap around the earth — twice. And, your heart beats nearly 100,000 times a day.
But as powerful as our hearts are, they are very vulnerable to hurt. Did you know your heart can really be broken? Deep emotional hurt releases stress than can damage your heart. Your heart is also stronger than your brain. Your heart can convince your mind to do all sorts of things. If your mind is telling you something that you just don’t agree with, listen to your heart. It knows.
February is American Heart Month. It’s a time when health care providers want us to take time out and assess our lives and make sure we are being heart smart. But I want us to go one step further and really think about how we are treating our hearts and the hearts of others. Have we had our hearts broken? Have we broken someone’s heart?
Sometimes, my heart breaks at the lack of good old-fashioned decorum. You know what I mean — civility, gentility, politeness and orderliness.
As of late, it feels as if more folks are walking around tense, just all keyed up as if they have an axe to grind, just being inappropriate and mean for no apparent reason. Now, you might say this is nothing new, but I beg to differ. I don’t want to blame our behaviors solely on the intense presidential race. However, since that period, we seem to be operating in a really angry space, an uptight space, an “I wish you would” kind of space!
We all know we cannot stay in the above space forever. It’s not nice, it won’t change anything and it’s simply not good for your heart. I know some of us will not want to hear this, but we have to find another way to work out our aggressions, and I believe exercise is the key. There is nothing wrong with a great spin on the elliptical, swimming or water aerobics (I know, I know … our hair!), or even a brisk walk. In fact, the American Heart Association recommends “30 minutes of moderate to vigorous aerobic exercise most days.”
In addition to working out, you should drink more water, eat more healthily, lay off the salt (I know, I love Lawry’s, too), control your cholesterol and maintain your weight.
We must learn to take care of our hearts and the hearts of others; our very lives depend on it. And always remember, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
#letsmove
Maggie A. Lewis is president of the Indianapolis-Marion County City-County Council.
