A Healthy At Home experience is on the schedule for May 2

 With the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic keeping more Americans at home, the American Heart Association is embracing a new approach and moving its iconic Northwest Louisiana Heart Walk online. The Heart Walk on May 2 will shift from Festival Plaza to homes across Northwest Louisiana and be a Healthy At Home experience. The American Heart Association wants to encourage physical activity while continuing to practice social distancing and being Healthy At Home and raise lifesaving funds.

Anyone can participate, including companies and businesses, families, running clubs, community-based organizations. There are many local businesses already registered as are several family community teams, American Heart Association volunteers, heart disease and stroke survivors.

The Northwest Louisiana virtual Heart Walk-Healthy At Home, will be Saturday, May 2, and will begin on the event Facebook page, 2020 NWLA VIRTUAL Heart Walk at 9 a.m. The event opens with the singing of the National Anthem and a heart walk warm-up with Fitness Lady owners Kedgy and Brianna Larson.

Heart Walk participants will not meet in person but are invited to get moving at home or around the neighborhood while practicing social distancing throughout the day, doing lawn work, dancing, cooking a health meal, playing outdoor games, fishing – whatever you are doing to move more and be healthy at home. Everyone is encouraged to wear red or a Heart Walk shirt. Regional Director Jill Lucero is asking that participants post pictures and videos to document their activity using #NWLA Heart Walk and #AHALouisiana.

This year's Heart Walk is sponsored by Ochsner LSU Health Shreveport, Capital One Bank, CHRISTUS Shreveport-Bossier Health, Benefit Consulting, Brookshire’s, Willis-Knighton Health System, Jean Simpson Personnel Services, BOM, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana.

Register by visiting www.nwlaheartwalk.org , and download the Heart Walk mobile app to launch your own personal fundraising page. Encourage friends and family to join in via e-mail or social media. 

By participating and donating to NWLA Heart Walk-Healthy at Home, you are supporting the lifesaving mission of the American Heart Association during this current public health crisis and beyond. 

Visit www2.heart.org to learn more. 

April is MoveMore Month

Staying active in safe, healthy ways has never been more important. Doing that your usual way may no longer be an option, but the American Heart Association (AMH) is here to help. Below are links that will help you find a fun activity challenge you can do at home with people you care about. Gather the people around you – virtually – and embark on a monthlong initiative to move more. (Please follow guidance from your local health department for all Move More Month activities.) Together we'll walk while we talk, lunge at lunch, break up screen sessions with a few jumping jacks or other activities to get us moving in a safe, socially distant way.

You can also fire up a little friendly (virtual) competition with friends, family or co-workers. For example, see who achieves the most minutes of physical activity each week. You could participate in the Move More Daily Challenges or even create and record the most innovative home workout and post to social media using one of AMH hashtags.

Here's the most important part: Set the fun in motion with a virtual event that excites everyone for a month of grooving, playing and moving more together. You can add more Move More events to keep the momentum going halfway through or to celebrate the end of a month's efforts. It's up to you! 

Let's #MoveMore to be #HealthyforGood