February is American Heart Month

by Christine Thomson

Our hearts are busy little organs, vital for living, and it is our responsibility to take care of them and to make heart health a part of our everyday selfcare routine. Although many people develop some form of cardiovascular disease as they get older, it isn’t inevitable. A healthy lifestyle, when started at any age, goes a long way to helping to prevent cardiovascular disease.

Did you know that the heart beats about 2.5 billion times over the average lifetime, pushing millions of gallons of oxygenated blood to every part of the body? Its steady flow not only carries necessary oxygen, but also a host of essential properties and the beating heart whisks away the waste products of metabolism.

Here are some easy, yet important, things you can do to help maintain heart health and

Meals on Wheels

continued from page 3 the time when our drivers will be delivering meals.

The reality is that a lot can and does happen between the time we speak at 4:30 a.m. and the time our drivers would be delivering the meals. Sometimes we cancel meals on days when conditions are bad and the weather is predicted to worsen only to find that by late morning the worst of the storm has passed, and roads, and sidewalks are clear. At other times, we make the decision not to cancel meals and end up regretting it when the weather takes a turn for the worst and we fear for our staff members’ safety driving (and walking) in dangerous conditions. We go to great lengths to ensure the safety of our drivers and staff.

When we make the decision about whether to cancel meals or not we monitor the all they cost is a little bit of your time.

- Talk with your healthcare provider about your heart health.

- Set aside some time each day just for you. Take a moment to move and de-stress.

- Be more physically active. Perhaps take a walk, or try gentle yoga or a tai chi class.

- Be mindful of your health and regularly monitor your weight and address your healthcare needs.

- Try some progressive muscle relaxation by tensing your muscles for a few seconds and then relax them. Do one muscle group at a time.

- Deep breathing is not only very relaxing, but it also allows our lungs to fully fill, which can help prevent respiratory concerns.

- Guided imagery allows you to relax while visualizing a calm, peaceful setting, such as a beach or garden.

- Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep each night.

Maintaining a healthy diet that includes a variety of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, skinless poultry and fish, nuts and legumes and non-tropical vegetable oils also goes a long way in helping your heart stay healthy. weather forecasts and consider many factors. However, the six hours between when we make the decision and when deliveries occur means that, despite going to great lengths to ensure our clients receive meals and ensuring the safety of our drivers and staff, we will continue to get it wrong now and then.

Elder Services’ website lists meal cancellations and the following radio stations make announcements when meals are cancelled due to inclement weather: WBEC 1420 AM, 95.9 FM; WUPE 1110 AM, 100.1 FM; WNAW 1230 AM; WBRK 1340 AM, 101.7 FM and WSBS 860 AM. In addition, meal cancellations are displayed on the ribbon at the bottom of the screen on channels 6, 10 and 13. Until next time be good, be kind and be careful.

Securing today and tomorrow

Dear Colleague,

In our ongoing commitment to provide efficient and equitable service, visitors to SSA.gov will now experience a new design that helps them find what they need more easily and do business with us online. Many of our most visited sections now use a more userfriendly and task-based approach. In the coming months we will continue to unveil new pages and improvements based on public feedback.

I invite you to read our blog announcing the redesigned website and several interactive tools, such as our new benefit eligibility screener.

Please encourage your friends, family, and clients to visit our redesigned website today!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Buckner Acting Assistant Deputy Commissioner Office of Communications oea.net.post@ssa.gov

@SSAOutreach

Heart disease is largely preventable and focusing on improving your heart health has never been more important. Taking care of your heart health is a lifelong journey, and it is well worth it. SSA.gov