News

March 26, 2018

American Heart Association and Sharon Regional Medical Center Healthy for Good Movement

A yearlong campaign to address some of the community‘s most pressing health issues is underway in Mercer and Lawrence Counties. Sponsored locally by Sharon Regional Medical Center, the American Heart Association‘s Healthy For GoodTM movement provides activities and education to help community members make healthy changes that last.

The Healthy For GoodTM movement consists of four pillars:

  • Eat Smart. - Make healthy, delicious choices wherever and whenever you eat.

  • Add Color. - Make life more colorful with fruits and vegetables.

  • Move More. - Infuse more movement in your life for optimal health.

  • Be Well.- Create balance, vitality and wellbeing through self-care.

    Throughout the year, Sharon Regional Medical Center will take the lead to host events and activities for the community that spotlight the four pillars of the Healthy For GoodTM movement.

    ―Sharon Regional Medical Center is committed to being on the forefront in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cardiac disease, and to provide high-quality, safe patient care,‖ said Joseph Hugar, President of Sharon Regional Medical Center. ―We are proud of our many awards and recognitions we have earned for our heart care services, and we are meeting needs through the expansion of our programs. That means that patients and their families are able to receive advanced cardiac care services, including open heart surgery, in their own community at Sharon Regional without having to travel to larger cities.‖

    The campaign‘s marquis event is the Healthy For Good Heart Walk, set for Thursday, October 11, 2018 at Buhl Park. Dr. Brandon Mikolich, cardiologist at Sharon Regional Medical Center will chair the walk, along with his father, co-chair and fellow cardiologist, Dr. J. Ron Mikolich.

    ―The Healthy For Good Heart Walk is a great way to invest in your health and that of future generations, while honoring those who have been impacted by heart disease, stroke and congenital heart defects,‖ said Dr. Brandon Mikolich. ―This year we are encouraging participants to keep ̳heartwalking‘ throughout the year. Heartwalking is more than raising money for the cause or going for a walk, it‘s an ongoing, personal commitment to move more by taking small, consistent steps to being Healthy For Good.‖

    Walking or participating in any exercise that raises your heart rate can boost your energy, strength and mood, while fending off serious health issues like obesity, high blood pressure,

poor cholesterol and bone loss. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for adults and 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children.1

―Research has shown adding more steps to your day could add years to your life2,‖ said Rebecca Gruitza, Division Director for the American Heart Association in Mercer and Lawrence Counties. ―Moving more doesn‘t have to be hard – take the stairs, park further away, ditch the conference room and take your meeting on a walk. The key is to find activities you enjoy and make them part of your daily routine.‖

Look for additional details about the Healthy For Good Heart Walk and other events throughout the year.

 References:

  1. Benjamin EJ et al; on behalf of the American Heart Association Statistics Committee

    and Stroke Statistics Subcommittee. Heart disease and stroke statistics—2017 update: a report from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2017;135(10):e51. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000000485.

  2. Moore SC et al. Leisure time physical activity of moderate to vigorous intensity and mortality: a large pooled cohort analysis. PLoS Med. 2012;9(11):e1001335. Doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1001335