March 2020 … The role of exercise in keeping your heart healthy is explained in a new kid-friendly video produced by Healthy NewsWorks.
“A heart-healthy activity is anything that gets you up and moving and off the couch,” Rachel DeHaven, an exercise physiologist with the Healthy Weight Program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, tells young listeners in the video. “Your heart muscle gets stronger when you are active.”
One sign that you’re getting good exercise, Ms. DeHaven says, is what she calls The Glow: “Your cheeks are red, your breathing is heavy, and you’re having fun.” It can come from running, biking, playing soccer, or even just jumping up and running in place, she says.
The video is the second in a series of Hearty Kids Spotlight videos being produced during the 2019-20 school year. The first video features the heart-health benefits of fruits.
The series will be used to increase health understanding in classrooms participating in Healthy NewsWorks’ Hearty Kids program for students in grades K-2. They will be shared beyond the Hearty Kids classrooms as well, increasing the number of students who learn some valuable lessons about heart health at an early age.
Healthy NewsWorks thanks Ms. DeHaven, Amy Deahl-Greenlaw, R.D.N., Mia Blitstein, M.Ed., and Wise Owl Multimedia for their assistance in producing the video. The project is supported by a CHOP Cares Grant from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The Hearty Kids program receives support from the Edna G. Kynett Foundation and other generous donors.