Fortunately, most cardiovascular diseases can be prevented by promoting key healthy habits, like tobacco cessation and healthy diet and exercise.
February is Heart Month, and it's a great time to share education on how to prevent some of the most pervasive chronic conditions with your members.
Virgin Pulse is in a unique position to help you protect your members from preventable conditions and diseases with our digital health tools and personalized support.
While it can be hard to detect, there are lots of ways to help your members stay on top of their heart health. View our tips below for heart-healthy tactics to enhance your health and wellbeing program.
Small health tips and nudges can play a big part in your members’ heart health. Here are some actions you can take to help your workplace reduce its risk for heart disease both on and off the job.
Any item listed below with the globe icon (🌐) is available for clients with members outside of the US.
1. Enhance your program with digital therapeutics or our heart-healthy partners
There is no one-size-fits-all approach to health and wellbeing. Connect your members with 75+ of the top health, wellbeing, and navigation solutions through our personalized health platform. Discover how you can ramp up your heart health and chronic condition management support with:
2. Encourage your members to practice better sleep habits
Poor sleep and chronic sleep deprivation have detrimental long-term effects on the heart. Not getting the necessary amount of sleep each night can dramatically increase your members’ risk of coronary heart disease. Motivating your members to implement better habits when it’s time for bed not only improves their heart health but allows them to thrive and feel recharged. Encourage your members to make better sleep a priority with:
3. Being physically active is key to maintaining a healthy weight and lowering the risk of coronary heart disease
Encourage your members to make physical activity a part of their daily routine, whether it’s lunchtime workouts, walking meetings, or discounted gym memberships. Motivate your members to build exercise into their routines through:
4. The dangers of smoking are no secret
Getting your members to ditch it can do wonders for their health. Provide them with the necessary support and coaching services to help guide them through the process. The first few weeks and months will be challenging, but providing constant support and encouragement and highlighting the long-term heart health benefits can go a long way. We can help you promote tobacco cessation with:
5. If your members want a healthier heart, a cleaner diet is important
Increased heart disease has long held a link with saturated fats. Avoiding or getting rid of them altogether can do wonders for your team’s ticker. Help your members create balanced eating habits by giving them access to tips and resources, digital tools to support their nutrition goals, and nutrition experts who can coach them on a plan to improve their health.
6. Increased working hours play a significant role in heart disease
Studies have indicated that long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from ischemic heart disease and stroke in 2016, a 29% increase since 2000. With working patterns and hours fluctuating post-pandemic, putting a robust work-life balance plan for your workplace can make a world of difference for their heart’s wellbeing. Learn how you can revamp your work-life balance practices with our Work-Life Balance Success Kit.
It's vital to help your members understand that building a heart-healthy daily routine today can keep their risk for heart disease lower for years to come, so there's no better time to get started.
Save your members the heartbreak and find out how to help them have a heart-healthy lifestyle, starting now. Contact your Account Team to learn how to incorporate these offerings into your program. Don’t forget to ask about relevant Challenges, Healthy Habits, and Journeys in support of heart health.