We may have been celebrating Valentine’s Day since the 3rd century A.D, but since 1964 there has been another widely recognized event celebrating the importance of the heart — American Heart Month, “a federally designated event … to remind Americans to focus on their hearts and encourage them to get their families, friends and communities involved” (American Heart Association, 2019).

Heart Disease by the Numbers

A shocking report out in 2019 shows that almost half of all adults in the United States have some form of cardiovascual disease! Cardiovasular disease remains the number one killer of all Americans, claiming more than almost 840,000 lives per year. (American Heart Association, 2019). Over 7 million Americans have experienced a heart attack in their lifetime (WebMD, 2019.)

Risk Factors

Some of the risk factors for heart disease are out of our control, such as age and family history. Four out of five people who die from coronary heart disease are aged 65 or older and the presence of heart disease in a parent or sibling, especially at a young age, increases your risk of developing heart disease. (American Heart Association, 2019). Other risk factors, however, are life-style related factors that we can do something about. Knowing these risk factors and taking action today can help prevent you from becoming one of the statistics. Here are 3 of the top risk factors to know about. Check out the website of the American Heart Association or talk to your doctor to understand other factors that influence your risk of heart disease.

#1: Physical Inactivity

It’s not new news that physical activity is essential to all aspects of your physical and emotional well-being. When it comes to heart disease, physical activity helps reduce the risk by helping to control weight, cholesterol, diabetes, and blood pressure. How much physical activity should you be getting? You don’t have to become a gym rat to experience the benefits of physical activity. Experts recommend walking or other moderate activities for at least 30 minutes five days a week or a more vigorous work out for at least 20 minutes three times a week.

#2: Smoking 

Many people associate smoking with lung cancer, but smoking has an impact on almost every part of the body, including the heart. Smokers are twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as non-smokers, and they are more likely to die as a result. New research has shown that even an occasional cigarette can be dangerous. A 2018 report in BMJ Medical Journal states that even one cigarette a day can increase a man’s risk for heart disease by 48% and for stroke by 25%. For women, a single daily cigarette increases the risk for heart disease by 57% and for stroke by 31%. The message here: NO level of smoking is safe.

#3: Stress 

Stress is another risk factor for heart disease, both directly because of chronically elevated levels of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol, and indirectly because stress may cause you to neglect your self-care in other areas, such as eating well or getting adequate sleep. 

There are many ways to reduce stress and we will go into more detail in upcoming articles. But, if you’ve addressed the risk factors mentioned above and are getting exercise and not smoking, then you are already making progress on managing your stress. Getting adequate sleep and eating a healthy diet are also important.

Grampa’s Garden has many products to support a lifestyle focused on managing stress as part of your holistic lifestyle, including relaxing lavender oils, sprays, and our Sleepy Time pillow. 

Grampa’s Garden wishes you a Happy Valentine’s Day and a Happy Heart Month.

Self-care is not selfish.

You’ve heard that you can’t pour from an empty cup. Self-care is about replenishing our own resources, filling our own cup, without depleting someone else’s. Some of us still feel guilty when we say “No.” to a favor that we don’t have time for or to an event that will stress us out. “‘No’ is a complete sentence,” implying that no other explanation is required. But if you’re not comfortable leaving it there, try saying, “No, I have another commitment,” even if, and perhaps especially if, that commitment is to yourself.

Self-care is not about escaping from our stressful life.

Self-care is about creating a life that we don’t need to escape from. Learning what we need to be healthy and fulfilled on a day-to-day basis is the kind of caring for ourselves that allows us to show up in our lives with more clarity and satisfaction. It becomes woven into the daily fabric of the meaningful lives we are creating.

Self-care is not about indulging.

Self-care is about treating ourselves with kindness, giving ourselves what we most need to be healthy, happy, and whole. It is not an excuse to rationalize behavior or choices that don’t serve us. Mindfully enjoying a piece of chocolate cake can be a healthy choice for many. Binging on a whole box of cookies just isn’t. While it doesn’t serve us to beat ourselves up if we do eat the whole box, it doesn’t serve us any better to tell ourselves that we did it in the name of “self-care.”

Self-care is not just for women.

Do any Google search for self-care (which we did), and you will find an overwhelming number of commercialized suggestions in the form of products and services marketed toward women with overt messages that women are in more need of “self-care” than others because of the many roles they juggle and people for whom they care all day long. If self-care is about creating a holistic life where our spiritual, physical, and emotional lives are in balance, then no one is in more need than another. It is a way of life that we aspire to as human beings of all genders, ages, and walks of life.

Remember, we said we believe incorporating holistic practices into your daily routine can help manage stress and bolster health? From now through February 13, 2020 we are offering 15% off our self-care Spa Line, the Aroma Rest  pillow along with therapeutic massage oil and therapeutic massage cream.

Our Spa Line comes with our Spa Thera Pac, Spa Perfect Wrap, and Spa Eye Sinus Pac. They are filled with our signature spice scent but have an added pinch of lavender and peppermint (or unscented upon customer request).

Our Massage Line includes oils and creams that can be applied alone or before warm therapy. 

If you’re noticing more aches and pains than usual lately, it’s probably not your imagination. Joint pain and body aches are a common complaint during the winter months. And while there is no one answer to the question of why we hurt more in the winter, there are some generally agreed-upon things we can do to help prevent and alleviate winter pain.

Stay Warm In cool weather, our muscles tighten to constrict blood vessels in our extremities to decrease heat loss, leading to sore and achy muscles. Dress in layers and stay active to keep warm. You can also use warming shawls and blankets to stay warm and as a therapy to relieve the aches. Grampa’s Garden has some special body shawls to wrap yourself in aromatic warmth. Check them out with the link below.

Use Natural Pain Gels If you’re still feeling some aches and pains even after following the tips above, natural soothing gels and rubs can provide warmth and reduce inflammation, offering relief. Grampa’s Garden has many therapeutic products to choose from, including Relieva, which comes as a roll-on and Sombra Gel with both the heating and cooling ingredients of capsaicin, camphor, and menthol. Check out these and other options with the link below.

Stay warm, from all of us here at,

Grampa’s Garden

It’s the week before Christmas, and if you are feeling a bit… overwhelmed, Grampa’s Garden is right there with you. (It’s our busiest time of year, as well.) We all know that stress impacts our physical, as well as our mental health. So, we’re here to remind us all of 5 tips to get through the holidays.

Say No!

We know, easier said than done. But, sometimes we put unreasonable expectations on ourselves during the Holidays. Whether it’s the extra neighborhood block party or the two dozen cookies you’ve been asked to provide for the office, it’s ok to politely decline. “No” is a complete sentence and doesn’t require an explanation. But if you do choose to say, “I’d love to, but my schedule is full at the moment,” not only will others likely understand, they might be envious of your ability to set limits!

Talk to Strangers

Chances are you’ll be in plenty of lines in the next few days. Instead of surfing your phone while waiting, try starting up a conversation with those around you. Not only will it make the time pass faster, but you’ll get that sense of connection that a shared experience can bring. Isolation adds to stress and depression. Talking with others has been shown actually to reduce stress.

Let Someone Else Help

If you haven’t tried the Express Pick Up lines at many of the stores, yet, now is the time! You can make your list and do your shopping from home and have your purchases waiting for you to pick up on your timeline. No jockeying for parking spaces. No walking down crowded aisles grabbing for the last fruitcake. It’s better on your pocketbook, too! The convenience fee you’ll pay is far less than the impulse buys you’re bound to pick up on the way to the register!

Laugh

It’s well-known that laughter triggers the release of endorphins and decreases the release of cortisol and other stress hormones. Maybe now is not the time to follow wall-to-wall news coverage. If you must surf on your phone, try bookmarking sites with jokes, or clips from your favorite sitcom.

Practice Self Care

We know, that’s a pretty broad statement. We could do (and will) multiple posts on what self-care looks like, and even how Grampa’s Garden has offerings that will help. But for now, practice those things you already know work for you. You can explore new practices in the New Year. For now, don’t neglect what you already know works.

Get sleep. Eat well. Exercise (even a walk around the block counts).

We at Grampa’s Garden wish you all happy and stress-free (ok, who are we kidding, “stress-reduced”) Holidays. Don’t forget…Slo Ho Ho Ho Down. (We just had to fit that in somewhere.)

Happy Holidays,

Grampa's Garden

https://www.GrampasGarden.com

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We would like to take this time to thank all of our customers, and to wish them a wonderful holiday season this year!