Hotflashes - Feb 2025

Building a Heart Healthy Exercise Routine

Most of us know that exercise is important for a healthy heart, but it can be hard to fit it in our busy schedules and sometimes the information on what type of exercise is best can be a little overwhelming. In today’s article, we’ll go over some effective ways to work in aerobic exercise, which is the best type of exercise for the heart.

What is aerobic exercise?

While strength training, balance exercises, and flexibility exercises are all good for your body in different ways and can have positive benefits for your heart and overall health, consistent aerobic exercise is the best way to improve your heart health. These types of exercises increase your heart rate, causing it to work harder and grow stronger over time. These types of exercises usually use large muscle groups, rather than targeting specific areas, and you may also notice that your breath increases along with your heart rate. Some of the most common types of aerobic exercise are walking, running, dancing, and most sports.

How can I incorporate aerobic exercise into my routine?

Determine what you like. Many aerobic exercises can actually be very enjoyable, so before forcing yourself to walk on the treadmill, think about activities you enjoy (or have enjoyed in the past). Maybe you played basketball in high school and really enjoyed it or love the occasional tennis game with your friends. Or, while you may not enjoy walking on the treadmill, maybe you could try a walk outside in a beautiful part of town, or maybe you fit in your walking on the treadmill while watching your regular TV show at night.
Incorporate your exercise into existing routines. When you’re trying to build a heart healthy exercise routine, it’s not feasible or realistic to try to completely overhaul your schedule and life to accommodate it. That usually doesn’t last long, and you want to build a routine where you can be consistent in working out. For example, if you meet up with a friend once a week, ask if they would like to take a walk together, play a game of pickleball, or attend a dance class rather than just sitting on the couch. Other examples include using some sort of stationary equipment while you watch a TV show at night or riding a bike instead of driving a few times a week.
Find accountability. Exercising with someone else can be very helpful in keeping you on track. You both have the same goals and can encourage each other to keep going. However, if you can’t find someone in your life who can exercise at the same time as you, see if there is someone you can check in with every day (they could even be someone you communicate with just via text or calls) to help keep you accountable.
Look for everyday opportunities to move. Most of us live sedentary lifestyles compared to past generations, and while finding time for regular and consistent exercise is very important, it’s also a good idea to work more movement into your life as a whole. Examples include taking the stairs instead of the elevator, purposely parking far away at the store, vacuuming or mopping yourself instead of using a robot option, getting up and playing with the kids or grandkids, etc. Of course, not everyone will do all of these due to time, physical limitations, or other reasons, but trying to find little opportunities like this in your everyday life can make a big difference.

https://www.healthline.com/health/heart-health/guide-preventing-heart-disease#heart-rate-trackers

Tips for Parents When Their Teens Start Dating

It can be exciting to watch your child grow up, but it can also be difficult and scary. When your teenager starts to become more interested in dating, it can be really nerve-wracking, and you want to make sure you are handling the situation appropriately. In this article, we’ll go over some helpful tips on how to approach dating and relationships with your teen.

Outline rules and expectations ahead of time. If you expect your child to be home at a specific time, to meet their date beforehand, to be a certain age before dating, etc. these are important conversations to have ahead of time. While your teen starting to show interest in dating may catch you off guard, it’s important to be prepared before that first date happens and make sure you are both on the same page (as much as a teen and their parent can be on the same page at least)
Model a healthy relationship and talk about what it looks like. It’s important for your teen to understand what a healthy relationship looks like before they get into one themselves. Hopefully you are in a healthy and respectful relationship yourself, but if not, it’s important to seek help, both for your safety and health and your teen’s. Additionally, the types of relationships your teen may be exposed to through their friends or the media can often be unhealthy. If you notice an example of this with a show your teen is watching or a comment about their friend, use this as a conversation starter. It shouldn’t feel like a lecture, so try to reel yourself in, even if it seems difficult or obvious that what they’re witnessing isn’t healthy.
Make sure your teen knows they can always come to you. Teen relationships can be rocky and unhealthy behaviors or even dangerous behaviors can be more common than you think. You want your teen to know they can come and talk to you at any point without a lot of fear of shame or punishment. You want them to know you’re there if there’s a problem, big or small.
Talk to them about sex. While it can be awkward and uncomfortable, having a conversation about sex in tandem with talking about teen dating is important. Whether your child is a girl or boy, it’s important to talk about what consent looks like as well as what birth control is, when it’s needed, and the different options. While it can be easy to put off the conversation or skip it altogether, you want your child to know what nonconsensual sex looks like and come to you if they are put in a situation like this. Additionally, as a parent, you don’t want your child going through a life changing situation such as teen pregnancy or STDs.
Know warning signs to look out for. While teenage relationships can be rocky, there are definitely behaviors that are not normal and should be cause for concern. Some of these include constant visits or phone calls, their partner keeping tabs on them and what they are doing at all times, signs of physical abuse, and signs of depression.

https://childdevelopmentinfo.com/ages-stages/teenager-adolescent-development-parenting/teen-dating/

Microwave Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal

Ingredients:

1 apple, cored and coarsely chopped
1 cup rolled oats
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch kosher salt
2 cups water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
¼ cup toasted pecans

Directions:

Combine the apple, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a large microwave-safe bowl and stir in the water.
Cover with a microwave-safe plate and microwave on high until the apples are soft and most of the liquid is absorbed (about 8 minutes).
Stir in the maple syrup.
Divide between two bowls and top with nuts. Serve immediately.

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/microwave-apple-cinnamon-oatmeal-recipe-1928134