Are employers interested in their employees heart health?  You bet, based on the response to my workshop With all Your Heart, Heart Healthy Habits at Work & Home at the Makoy Center in Hilliard.  The workshop was part of the events at Columbus Business First’s inaugural Healthiest Employers program.  The inaugural gathering for employers today included an awards presentation, mini-workshops and a wellness expo.

With my workshop presentation I wanted to show attendees the benefit of heart healthy behaviors, as well as how to impact cardiac arrest and stroke.

Keeping physically active can be social or integrated throughout the day – bottom line is avoid prolonged sitting.  The talk covered heart healthy eating behaviors and energy balance.  I discussed risk factors for heart disease and the American Heart Association’s Simple 7  for further information about heart health.  The audience questions showed our shared interest in heart health and what interventions have been shown to improve it.  One question in particular concerned transcendental meditation.  Transcendental Meditation has been shown to be beneficial; the talk today did not allow time to discuss further – if interested, watch Dr. Steinbaum’s short video for an overview of TM.

Heart healthy interventions through lifestyle play a role in long term life quality.  I also introduced / reviewed life saving Hands Only CPR to help someone suffering a cardiac arrest, and how to stop a Stroke FAST.

Work-life and staying healthy are inseparable.  Better performance and delivery are the result of a heart healthy work force; it was great to share heart healthy information this morning.

.