It’s the start of the new month! We’ve got two exciting health topics to share with you! First, September 29th marks the celebration of World Heart Day.

What is World Heart Day? Well, the World Heart Federation says it is a day to reflect on how best to use the heart for humanity, for nature, and for you.

“The heart is the only organ you can hear and feel. It is the first and last sign of life. It is one of the few things with the potential to unite all of us as people.”¹

The day is also a call to action to prevent and manage heart disease. So a little somber news here: heart disease and other cardiovascular heart diseases are the leading cause of death in the world. But despair not! The risks are preventable and manageable through your lifestyle.

As Tamarkoz is a heart-focused meditation practice, let’s prepare for the celebration of your heart from the very start of September. We’ll do this by focusing on just one of the health aspects that affects heart health.

Health topic two: The entire month of September is National Cholesterol Education Month! Why the enthusiasm? Because we’re a health-based app. Your health and well-being are important to us. Join us in taking small steps for cholesterol management. Plus, cholesterol affects heart health. And we deeply care about your heart.

Take this super short quiz on managing cholesterol. And check out our cholesterol education FAQ’s below:

1. What is Cholesterol?

   It’s a waxy substance made by your body to make hormones and digest fats. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. Certain foods such as fatty meats and egg yolks add to your cholesterol. Having high levels of it can cause plaque buildup in your arteries which is risky for heart disease and stroke.³

2. Do you know your cholesterol numbers?

   Total Cholesterol: 150 mg/dl is considered to ideal.

   LDL Cholesterol: Low density lipoprotein is considered the “bad” cholesterol because too much of it can clog your arteries with plaque causing heart disease or stroke. 100 mg/dl is considered optimal.

   HDL Cholesterol: For women it is best to have greater than or equal to 50 mg/dl. And for men, 40 mg/dl. High density lipoprotein is called “good” cholesterol because it helps to remove cholesterol build up from arteries.

   Triglycerides: These are a type of fat in the blood. Generally it’s ideal to have less than 150 mg/dl.

   High cholesterol is a major cause for heart disease but has no symptoms so you may not know if it is high. It’s not related to a person’s weight, so a thin person may also be susceptible to high cholesterol.

   Cholesterol can only be measured by a physician with a blood test. Adults 20 years and older who are low risk for cardiovascular disease need cholesterol checked every 4-6 years. It’s more frequent for those who are at high risk. Even children and adolescence need to have their cholesterol checked.

3. What can I do for my cholesterol?

   1. Talk to your physician. Not sure what to ask? Here are 5 questions to ask your healthcare provider.

   2. Food, exercise, being overweight, diabetes, being male, smoking, blood pressure, stress, medicine, and genetics affect total cholesterol levels. We can’t do much about family history, but we can take control of what we eat, physical activity, blood pressure, and stress.

Meditation has shown to significantly reduce stress, blood pressure, and cardiovascular events. Tamarkoz meditation has been shown to significantly decrease stress and heart rate, which are aspects that may affect cholesterol. While we don’t promise cholesterol levels will be reduced, a lifestyle that includes regularly meditating on your heart, will lead to healthful behavior changes.

Join us this month in taking small steps in cholesterol management in honor of your health and your heart.

Our Call to Action: Let’s do this! Across the world, let’s take a step together in promoting health and managing cholesterol. What is one thing you will do every day this month to protect your health?

• If you don’t know your cholesterol numbers or don’t remember the last time you had it measured, talk to your doctor.

• What are some aspects you would like to try geared towards nature, humanity, physical activity, walking, reducing stress, trying creative healthy recipes, or something else?

  Share with your family or friends or maybe post on social media what you’ll do each day for your heart health and managing cholesterol levels. Tag us @TamarkozApp if you like!

• Although September 29th marks World Heart Day, why stop one day short of the entire month of September? On September 30th, how will you celebrate your heart? Perhaps promise to visit your heart more often…. Tamarkoz meditation is a way to do so.

References:

1. The World Heart Federation. https://world-heart-federation.org/world-heart-day/about-whd/world-heart-day-2022/
2. The American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease
3. https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/checked.htm
4. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5721815/
5. The American Heart Association. https://www.heart.org/-/media/Files/Professional/Million-Hearts/National-Cholesterol-Education-Month-ucm_500458.pdf
6. Centers for Disease Control: Preventing Cholesterol: https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/prevention.htm
7. Bahadorani, N., Lee, J.W. & Martin, L.R. Implications of Tamarkoz on stress, emotion, spirituality and heart rate. Sci Rep 11, 14142 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-93470-8