Dignity Health | St. Rose Dominican | Reach | Fall 2019

8 StRoseHospitals.org You step up to help your children with their homework, and you remind them to brush their teeth. How about helping them do something good for their hearts? “It’s never too early to start establishing a heart-healthy way of life,” says Emily Peterson, DO, FAAP, pediatrician with Dignity Health Medical Group Nevada. Here’s why: Even though kids rarely get heart disease, the process leading to it—the gradual buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances in arteries—can actually begin in childhood. This can put kids at future risk for a heart attack or stroke when they grow up. And the chances of that happening increase when kids develop heart disease risk factors such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure. Love thy neighbor. Do you have time to help seniors? Helping Hands provides transportation and pantry delivery services to Henderson residents age 60 and older. If you’d like to volunteer, call 702.616.6554 . Share the love Start your kids on a heart-healthy path Good for the whole family Dr. Peterson offers these suggestions to give your household a heart-healthy boost. Serve up good eats. Make sure plenty of healthy food choices are available at home. A few specific tips: Serve veggies, fruit, and whole grains every day. Shop for foods that are lower in saturated fat, such as lean meat and low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese. Limit packaged foods with trans fats, such as cookies, cakes, crackers, and frozen pizza. Cut back on sweets and sugary drinks. Invite kids into the kitchen. Let your children help you prepare healthy meals. It’s a great way to teach them about good food choices. Set your family in motion. Kids who are 6 years and older need 60 minutes of daily activity. Make being active a family affair. Go on walks and bike rides or play sports and games. Tag, anyone? Check in for checkups. Along with assessing overall health, a doctor can check a child’s weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Of course, teens and adults in the family need checkups, too. Emily Peterson, DO