The American Heart Association promotes walking as part of month-long awareness campaign
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 4, 2016) – On Wednesday, April 6, countless numbers of individuals in Kentuckiana will lace up their sneakers and walk to commemorate the annual American Heart Association’s National Walking Day.
Dozens of companies across Kentuckiana will participate in National Walking Day including Kindred Healthcare, Passport Health Plan, Mortenson Dental Partners, Humana, Norton Healthcare and the University of Louisville.
And this year, there’s a fun way to participate nationally: everyone who walks on April 6 can “donate” their minutes walked to the American Heart Association by posting their minutes on social media at #AHALaceUp. All minutes posted there will count toward a national total goal of 100,000 minutes walked. Updates and highlights will be posted all day at #AHALaceUp.
Studies have suggested that moderate physical activity has many proven benefits for an individual’s overall health, such as lowering blood pressure, increasing HDL or “good” cholesterol and controlling weight. All these changes help to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, the nation’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers.
The American Heart Association is committed to getting people engaged in physical activity so they can live longer, healthier lives,” said Ashley Mason, Sr. Heart Walk Director of the American Heart Association. “More than 67% of American adults are considered overweight and obese and nearly 70% are not engaging in regular physical activity. Just a few extra steps a day is a simple and easy way to take an active role in maintaining a significantly healthier life.”
Broken down into weekly themes, the American Heart Association will kick-off the month-long campaign on National Walking Day to encourage people to adopt a healthy lifestyle by increasing their physical activity routines. Week one focuses on walking and the basic tools you need to get started. Because it’s easy, free and low-risk, walking is the simplest form of exercise you can do and the gateway exercise to other, more vigorous, activities. Week two and three focus on recreational sports and outdoor family activities, respectively, and week four centers around stress reduction and mindful movement, such as Yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults participate in at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity or a combination of both each week. Be part of the movement and register for your free toolkit at www.heart.org/nationalwalkingday. For more information about walking and living a healthy lifestyle, visit: www.heart.org/physicalactivity. National Walking Day is sponsored by Kindred Healthcare and the University of Louisville.
About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is devoted to saving people from heart disease and stroke – America’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers. We team with millions of volunteers to fund innovative research, fight for stronger public health policies, and provide lifesaving tools and information to prevent and treat these diseases. The Dallas-based association is the nation’s oldest and largest voluntary organization dedicated to fighting heart disease and stroke. To learn more or to get involved, call 1-800-AHA-USA1, visit heart.org or call any of our offices around the country. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
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