Strong Heart Study - Arizona

Let’s meet Goliath, the Ge’e Komkjid! 🐢 We can be heart healthy like him by remembering health progress can be slow but eating plenty of fruits and veggies can help.

Small, consistent, and measurable changes are the most effective way to achieve these long-term health gains.

Regular progress, such as consistent exercise and improved nutrition, lowers blood pressure, improves sleep, and reduces risks of obesity and chronic illnesses.

Achieving milestones reduces stress, boosts self-esteem, increases motivation, and improves mental clarity.

Acknowledge, record, and reward progress, even if it is slow.

* Ge’e Komkjid means big tortoise 🐢 in the O’odham Language

Let’s meet Chi, the coatimundi! We can be heart healthy like him by spending good quality time with our loved ones.

Strong social connections with family and friends significantly improve heart health, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, heart attacks, and strokes by lowering stress and blood pressure. Positive relationships encourage healthier behaviors like regular exercise, better nutrition, and smoking cessation, while isolation is linked to higher risk.

Let’s meet Charm, the Misciñ Koji! 🐗We can be heart healthy like her by eating plenty of fiber.

Dietary fiber, found in plant-based foods like fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, protects heart health by lowering LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, reducing blood pressure, decreasing inflammation, and helping manage weight. Soluble fiber binds to cholesterol in the digestive system, preventing its absorption. A high-fiber diet significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular and related diseases. 

* Misciñ Koji means javelina or collared pecary 🐗 in the O’odham Language

Here is Darwin, the Hawañ! 🐦‍⬛ We can be heart healthy like her by eating a diverse diet.

A diverse, colorful diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins is crucial for heart health, reducing risks of cardiovascular disease by lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. A varied intake ensures a wide spectrum of nutrients, antioxidants, and fiber, which protect arteries and reduce inflammation.

*Hawañ means raven 🐦‍⬛ in the O’odham Language.

Here is Heavenly, the Judum! 🐻 We can be heart healthy like him by getting enough sleep.

Getting enough quality sleep is essential for good heart and brain health. Sleep disorders make it difficult to get the sleep you need to stay healthy. In fact, they have been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Research tells us how sleep disorders and poor sleep can hurt your heart health:
* Poor sleep can cause major cardiovascular disease risk factors including obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes.
* Insufficient or irregular sleep can negatively influence diet, stress and other lifestyle factors that can raise the risk of cardiovascular disease.
* Excessive daytime sleepiness, which is a symptom of many sleep disorders, including hypersomnia, can lead to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
* Sleep deprivation and sleep disorders have also been linked to increased inflammation in your body, which can also elevate your risk of cardiovascular issues.
* Poor sleep and sleep disorders can cause depression and other mental health issues, which can hurt your heart health

🐻 Judum means bear in the O’odham Language