Several organizations from campus and the Albuquerque community celebrated the holiday of the heart by focusing on its health during a national Heart Health Day celebration at UNM Thursday.
"Heart Health Day is in recognition of American Heart month, which is designed to raise awareness on nutrition, fitness and everything else that contributes to overall heart health," said Brianne Schneider, one of the event's coordinators and a UNM senior majoring in biology.
The event, which took place at the mall in front of Zimmerman Library, featured informational booths from various community businesses, including Defined Fitness, Stone-Age Gym and several UNM organizations such as Peer Consultants, Peer Educators and the Exercise Physiology Club.
Jim Lezeau, personal training director at Defined Fitness said awareness is the most powerful tool for events such as Heart Health Day.
"College students are notorious for under-prioritizing their health," Lezeau said. "Our health is becoming more important every day. There are many components that go into staying on top of our overall health."
Angelique Olson, senior community health major and event co-coordinator, said that it is especially important to have the event at UNM because many times college students are too focused on their academic responsibilities to keep up with their health.
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"One of the most surprising things on campus is that students have no idea what the Student Health Center, many of whose activities are free to them, has to offer," Houston said. "There are so many beneficial things available under one roof. There are no excuses not to take advantage of such a tremendous resource."
In addition to free blood pressure screenings, drawings for free gym memberships and a pair of New Mexico Scorpions hockey tickets, a heart health trivia game was offered as an added incentive for UNM students to take an active role in their health.
Schneider said that the Peer Educator program on campus, of which she is a member, welcomes any chance to inform students in the four areas that they offer health education in: human sexuality; nutrition and fitness; alcohol and drugs; and stress and time management.
She added that the Peer Educator and Peer Consultant programs are just two of the free programs available on campus to lend a helping hand to UNM students.
According to the American Heart Association's Web site, lack of physical activity has proven to be a factor in up to 250,000 deaths per year in the United States, about 12 percent of the annual deaths nationwide.
Surveys performed by the association show that 28 percent of Americans ages 18 or older are not active at all. Additionally, 44 percent of adults get some exercise, but they do not do it regularly or intensely enough to protect their hearts. Only 27 percent of American adults get enough leisure-time exercise to achieve cardiovascular fitness.
Studies conducted by the association show that even low-to-moderate intensity activities, when done for as little as 30 minutes a day, can bring benefits. These activities include pleasure walking, climbing stairs, yard work, moderate-to-heavy housework and dancing.
More vigorous aerobic activities, done most days of the week for at least 30 minutes, are best for improving the fitness of the heart and lungs.
Among the many benefits of exercise are a reduced risk of heart disease by improving blood circulation throughout the body, improving blood cholesterol levels, helping to prevent and manage high blood pressure, helping to manage stress and releasing tension, the studies prove.
"College students are targeted for bad nutrition nationally," Olson said.
She added that three other health conscious programs are scheduled this semester, including Safe Spring Break Day, STD Awareness Day and Nutrition Day.
"Its important to become aware of the resources available that will help us live healthier, happier lives," Olson said.
