February is Heart Health Month, a time to raise awareness about cardiovascular health and encourage healthier lifestyles. Heart disease affects millions of adults globally, but you can lessen its effects by taking proactive steps to protect yourself and help prevent it from happening.

What You Can Do to Protect Your Heart

· Adopt a Heart-Healthy Diet: Incorporate more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins while reducing salt and saturated fats.

· Stay Active: Aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise weekly. Activities like walking, cycling, and swimming strengthen your heart.

· Know Your Numbers: Monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels regularly to catch potential risks early.

· Manage Stress: Practices like mindfulness, yoga, or simply taking breaks throughout the day can help reduce stress, which impacts heart health.

Annual Checkups

Our medical plans cover annual checkups. Schedule a checkup with your primary care doctor and review any health questions that have arisen since your last exam. If you don’t have a primary care doctor, find one now:

Kaiser members, visit: www.kp.org

Cigna members, visit: www.mycigna.com

Medical Plan Resources

Be sure to check out these resources from your medical plans:

Cigna: Wellness Library

Kaiser: Your Guide to Heart Health

Reduce Stress, Support Your Heart

Stress can negatively affect heart health by raising blood pressure, increasing inflammation, and leading to unhealthy habits. Reducing stress is crucial for maintaining a healthy heart, and activities such as deep breathing and practicing mindfulness can effectively calm the mind and lower stress levels. Snowflake partners with Lyra, which provides 25 sessions per year for therapy and coaching. In addition to therapy and coaching, Lyra also offers access to:

· Lyra Learn

· Self-care apps

· Work/life services

· Unlimited, 24/7 access to helpful articles, resources, and self-assessment tools

Now is the time to prioritize cardiovascular well-being. Small, consistent changes in your lifestyle can lead to significant improvements. Let February be your reminder to put your heart health first!