Behaviour change can be easy if it’s done right and with support

My dad was born on 29 September 1929 – quite an aesthetically pleasing number when you write it as 29/09/1929. Sadly though, the next number – 26/05/1976, is not quite so pleasing. This was the day my dad died, and if you do the sums, you’ll work out that he was 46. He died of a heart attack, now, my dad was an NHS consultant doctor so you’d think he’d know better but he died of a heart attack because he smoked – cigarettes and a pipe, drank – but just a little, and less than current guidance levels. He was a little overweight and was also, probably, quite stressed with work and life. There may or may not have been other non-modifiable factors involved but even if there had been, my dad, with support and knowledge and motivation may have been able to change his lifestyle factors and thereby have significantly reduced the risk of him leaving behind a widow, two teenagers and me.

I agree – it’s not always easy to change lifestyle factors but here’s the thing. Behaviour change can be easy… if it’s done right and with support. W2W comprises a team of behaviour change experts. We are clinicians who understand, tailor and apply the evidence based health coaching techniques to enable individuals to identify unhelpful behaviours and then ditch or switch them to more helpful behaviours. We know the ‘what should be done’, and probably or possibly you do too, but we help with the difficult bit of ‘how’.

Physiologically, hearts are the most amazing organs. Yours is roughly the size of your fist and sits unseen on the left side of your chest but it is literally the heart of our physical beings.  We can’t live without it working and ideally working well. The heart has its own muscle type and requires plumbing, electrics and complex co-ordination to beat all day, every day. Some philosophical types say that a heart has a huge but finite number of beats so let’s use them wisely.  Maintaining a fit and healthy heart is a key part of having a fit and healthy body, brain and mind. It’s good to do some sort of physical activity or exercise that gets the heart and lungs working a little bit harder than your normal for just 30 minutes a day. Brisk walking could be the thing, or dancing. Even housework if that floats your boat.

So – what am I asking you to do? I’m asking you to check in with your heart and look after it so that you don’t leave loved ones early. There’s lots of info and support out there eg NHS, BHF, but if you are still unsure and if your physical health is having a negative impact on your workability then reach out to the physios and health coaches at W2W. We will help you get and stay heart healthy so that you can live your best life both at work and outside of work.

 

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cardiovascular-disease/

https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport

https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/about-whd/