Heart-Healthy Workouts to do at Home

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Working out is often a great way to de-stress at the end of the day and a good way to keep your heart health in tip-top shape. We often recommend doing at least 30 minutes of exercise a day with activity of any kind such as a vigorous walk or a swim but recent fears of contracting the new coronavirus disease, COVID-19, have made many people on edge and avoiding places where they could contract the disease; such as the gym.

This begs the question, what to do you do if you don’t have a place to workout? Better yet, what heart health exercises can you do?

To help, we’ve created this list of exercises that you can do at home that will make sure that you maintain a heart healthy lifestyle.

Yoga

Yoga provides relaxing physical activity all year long and can easily be done in your bedroom, living room or just about anywhere in the house. You can even use yoga first thing in the morning to wake up slowly and get your body warmed up for the day. If you are new to yoga, try out a beginner level class or explore resources online to learn more about meditation and poses.

Running Alternatives

If you love cardio, you probably don’t want to give up that runner’s high, but you might not want to venture out into frosty conditions either. During the cold winter months you can get your heart pumping indoors with cardio workouts you can do at home, such as:

  • Climbing stairs
  • Jumping jacks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Burpees
  • Jump rope
  • High knees
  • Play

Chances are your family and family pets are getting a little stir crazy inside the house, too. Play actively with your kids or pets for another cardiovascular workout option. Whether it is a game of hide and seek or a family dance-off, playing together is a good workout and great fun. Just be sure to secure the breakables and move that coffee table out of the way.

Body Weight Exercises

You can do body weight exercises in your house easily without purchasing any special equipment. Just perform three or four of these exercises three or four times a week to grow stronger.

  • Push-ups
  • Crunches
  • Leg lifts
  • Planks
  • Squats
  • Lunges
  • Chair dips
  • Calf raises

YouTube Workouts

There are a lot of workout routines on YouTube. You can search “workout,” or you can search by the specific type of workout that you would like. This eliminates the need to use workout DVDs, and it allows you to mix up what you are doing to avoid boredom. YouTube is also great if you want to do a traditional workout with push-ups, squats, and crunches, but are unsure on how to properly do these types of exercises. There are tons of videos that instruct you on how to use correct form as you exercise.

Tips on how to regulate your sleep for better heart health

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Keeping a proper sleep schedule can sometimes be tricky. Many of us feel distracted at night because we browse social media or we end up binge watching our favourite shows on Netflix.

A new study that was published last week suggests that those who struggle to get a goodnight’s sleep and who suffer from insomnia type symptoms have a greater chance of having a stroke or a heart attack.

It focused on a few key areas: do you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? Waking up too early in the morning? Or trouble staying focused during the day due to poor sleep? Which many of us can relate to. Below are some of our tips on how to make sure you have a well regulated sleep schedule.

1. Avoid coffee and tea in the late afternoon/evening

We know that coffee and tea are two delicious drinks that many of us simply cannot eliminate, especially during the morning. It is no secret that caffeinated drinks will keep you awake at night, and the reason being, caffeine has a stimulant that is meant to keep you more awake. However, what we may not know is that, coffee stays in your body for approximately 6 hours after you drink a cup, according to ‘Livestrong’. In order to prevent staying awake at night, try to limit your caffeine in-take six hours before bed time. That way your body will release the stimulant and you will feel tired naturally.

2. Avoid Napping & Technology

Taking a nap is probably the greatest feeling in the world but it may be a bad idea for consistent night-time sleep. Napping for a long period of time can result in feeling grumpy, and will affect your ability to fall asleep at night. If you try to limit the time frame of your naps or napping in general, it may aid into the elimination of an irregular sleep pattern. Instead, go to sleep earlier than you normally would.

In light of napping and falling asleep at a decent time, technology can sometimes be problematic for a proper sleep schedule. We have all had those nights, where we feel so tired, to the point that one eye is open but the other is closed. The reason for the open eye may be because of the cute video on social media, of the cute puppy taking care of his younger brother and sisters. While it is okay to be immersed in technology, it is equally as important to give yourself a schedule. Consider stopping your browsing an hour before bed time so that your mind has the ability to relax.

3. Limit Netflix and Chill

We all love Netflix and chill, more specifically, the snacks involved such as potato chips, ice cream, candy, and popcorn. While we indulge in our snacks and watch the new episode of stranger things, it is important to know when to call it quits- and tell your mind ‘one more episode’ isn’t happening. Perhaps, give yourself a cut off time for television, but it is important to be diligent in doing so. This will ensure that you are sleeping on time, gaining enough rest for your busy days at the office, and helping to prevent the possibility of certain health issues.

Overall, it is important to keep schedules and routines. Once your body gets used to an everyday task, it then becomes difficult to stray away from it. Furthermore, lack of sleep can cause severe health issues that may not be as evident now but could be in the near future. Sleeping regularly and making sure you are receiving enough rest is important to properly function every day. You will feel more organized, alert, and energized – perhaps, you won’t need that cup of coffee after all!

Where Can I Find a Defibrillator in an Emergency?

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November is CPR month in Canada and many organizations are doing their part to help educate Canadians on how to properly respond to emergency situations. Knowing how to do so is important, as emergencies where CPR is required, has a vastly better outcome if there are bystanders actively performing CPR, rather than waiting for help to come.

In the cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrest the chances of being saved increase even more if you are using an AED or a defibrillator, like our MIKEY’s. These aren’t always as easy to find though as they’re primarily set up in locations that large numbers of people frequent, like hockey rinks or schools. It’s important to have them available in locations like these as they’re so often frequented by the public, but because these locations are so big, they can often be difficult to find.

To help you know where AED’s are, we encourage you to check out the Ontario Registry which indicates where an AED is closest to you in the province (If you don’t live in Ontario, we encourage you to check if your province has an up to date registry). Although the registry has many AED’s added, it doesn’t have them all. So, we encourage you to always keep an eye out when entering a large location so that you know where to find one in case of an emergency.

St.John’s Ambulance

We also recommend a newer tool from our friends at the St.John’s Ambulance. They have partnered with AEDMAP to create an app the shares the location of AED’s throughout Canada. It utilizes google maps and indicates where AED’s are in proximity to your location.

Fortunately, we have a pretty good grasp of all of the locations that our MIKEY’s are housed. We have 100 MIKEY’s placed in GO stations in and around the GTA, a MIKEY on every one of TWO MEN AND A TRUCKS® moving trucks, and a full list of MIKEY’s that we’ve donated to families, schools and organizations from all over the world.

Connect with us on our social channels, and let us know where you’ve seen a MIKEY!

Get Trained in Saving a Life During CPR Month

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November is CPR Month in Canada and various organizations  are aiming to highlight the need for Canadians to know the proper procedures for resuscitating someone in an emergency situation.

The importance of knowing how to perform CPR is more important than ever, as each year 23,000 lives are taken because of heart attacks and cardiac arrest. Heart attacks may sometimes lead to cardiac arrest, a condition in which a person stops breathing and their heart stops pumping blood.

Fortunately for Canadians that are interested in learning how to save a life, there are many resources available that can teach you the proper procedures. We’ve composed some of these helpful resources into a list below.

CPR Resources

The Mikey Young at Heart App

The free app which was created to provide high school students with an understanding of CPR procedures and how to use an AED, is taught through instructional videos that they can view at their own pace. Not only is the app easy to use, the hours accumulated on it also count towards their volunteer hours that they will need to earn during the semester. Don’t worry if you’re not in school, the app can be used by anyone.

Download the app today to learn more.

Learn How To Maintain an AED

When using an AED, the odds of a life being saved are greatly increased, which is why it’s so important for people around the world to know how to use and operate an AED.Along with knowing how to use a defibrillator, it’s also hugely important that you know how to maintain and check if it’s working.

It is easy to make sure a defibrillator like our MIKEY’s are properly maintained and ready to save a life should the need arise. Follow the link here to learn how to properly maintain an AED. Click here to download our checklist and manual.

The St. Johns Ambulance

The National organization has been a stalwart for CPR information throughout Canada since their inception in 1883. They offer various courses depending on type of first aid training certifications that participants are looking for. They also act as a great source for any first aid guidelines and industry information as they are seen across Canada as the experts in certifications for first responders.

 The Heart and Stroke Foundation

The organization which gathers funding and organizes studies in the areas of heart and stroke, is a great resource for information on how to respond to emergency situations. On their site they have short videos on how to react to a cardiac arrest, or how to use an AED; as well as some nice promotional materials that are downloadable and can be hung up in your workplace, school or home.

If you’re aware of another resource that you think is valuable, please feel free to let us know. Take the steps today, that can help save a life tomorrow.

Everyday Superfoods

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Eating Well, is a great source that informs you on ways that you can eat well on a daily basis. They have shared their top 10 super-foods that anyone can eat on a daily basis!

1.Berries:

Berries are a great source of fiber. Essentially, fiber keeps your digestive system and heart healthy.

2. Eggs:

Eggs are very nutritious. Not only do they have protein and give you the energy you need, but they also keep your eyes healthy.

3. Sweet Potatoes:

Yum! Sweet Potatoes keep your eyes, bones, and immune system healthy.

4. Broccoli:

Broccoli is packed with vitamins. It helps with bone health and stimulates your body’s detoxifying enzymes.

To check-out the rest of the Superfoods by Eating well, go to: http://www.eatingwell.com/article/290550/10-everyday-superfoods/

There are plenty of Superfoods that you can eat everyday, to protect your heart-health and overall health. It only takes a few minutes to prepare for a lifetime of good health.