WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. ― Novant Health today announced a yearlong wellness campaign, challenging participants to take their health to heart in 2020. Three out of 4 U.S. adults are living with a predicted heart age that is older than their actual age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This means they are at a higher risk for heart attacks and stroke. Yet, about 80% of heart disease is preventable with diet and lifestyle changes.
This statistic can be especially eye catching when you bring into focus that virtually all of your body’s organs and systems depend on a healthy heart. Novant Health’s “Vision 2020: A new lens for a healthier future” is uniquely designed to help participants tackle some of the biggest risk factors leading to a higher heart age: physical activity, unhealthy diet, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
“Novant Health is proud to lead an initiative that empowers people to take charge of their health,” said Gary Niess, MD, senior physician executive of the Novant Health Heart & Vascular Institute. “We live busy lives, and many of us don’t think about our health until we’re sick. It’s critical that people understand the choices they make now have a lifetime effect on their health and wellness. This campaign not only brings awareness to the healthy habits we should prioritize, but it gives a playbook for how to incorporate them into our everyday lives.”
Throughout the year, Novant Health will guide participants through a series of challenges designed to be fun, manageable and, most importantly, sustainable. Each challenge will begin by asking participants to calculate their predicted heart age*, which they will work to lower throughout the year in order to reduce one or more risk factors that are known to have a direct impact on heart health.
· Made to Move: This 12-week challenge launches in March and helps participants increase their level of physical activity, no matter where they are. Participants will learn strength training exercises, fitness tips and “life hacks” to incorporate more movement into everyday life.
· Sugar Shutdown: Over the summer, we’ll help participants focus on cutting out added sugar from their diet and replacing it with healthy alternatives. The typical American diet is packed with added sugar, which clogs our arteries, creates brain fog and often leads to sugar cravings. This 10-day challenge is a re-set for the body.
· Live in the Moment: To wrap up Vision 2020, we’ll task everyone to live in the moment for 12 weeks with purposeful challenges. Being present and enjoying life’s everyday moments rather than being tied to a device directly affects your heart health by reducing stress, among many other benefits.
For more information on Vision 2020 and to sign up, visit NovantHealth.org/Vision2020.
*The scientific model behind the heart age calculator assesses risk for patients between the ages of 30 and 74. We encourage you to sign up for the Vision 2020 challenges and prioritize heart healthy habits regardless of your age.
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