2024 Heart Walk
Saturday, September 21, 2024
8 a.m. - Executive Meet & Greet
8:30 a.m. - Opening ceremony and UTSW group photo
9 a.m. - Walk begins
Join us for this annual event, which supports lifesaving cardiovascular research and heightens awareness of heart disease and stroke.
Sign up by joining a UTSW team or registering as an individual walker. We would love to boost our participation to more than 3,000 walkers. If you can’t join us downtown, you can participate virtually via the Heart Walk app (available for iOS and Android).
Hope to see you at this wonderful community event!
Register for the Heart WalkView Location & Details
View More Tips, Smoothies, & Recipes
FAQ
How do I get my official 2024 UTSW Heart Walk T-shirt?
Join any UTSW team, including the UTSW Individual Walkers team, by registering on the American Heart Association’s Dallas Heart Walk webpage.
You must submit your form by Sept. 17 to receive your T-shirt in time for Heart Walk day.
Can I pick up my T-shirt in person on campus or at the Heart Walk?
No. There will be no on-campus pickup for T-shirts, and the shirts will not be available at the Heart Walk. You must submit the form to have the shirt mailed to you.
I got my T-shirt, but it doesn’t fit. How can I exchange it?
We are unable to take the original T-shirt back. Please submit another form, indicating the correct size you need, using the re-ordering section at the bottom of the form.
What sizes are available?
Sizes range from small to 4XL, while supplies last.
On the American Heart Walk registration webpage there is an option to order a T-shirt. Can I just do it through that webpage?
The AHA T-shirts are only for certain fundraising levels. If you would like a custom 2024 UT Southwestern T-shirt, you will need to use the UTSW link mentioned above.
Why am I being asked to register on the AHA event webpage?
Registering on the AHA webpage helps UT Southwestern count you as a participant on one of our teams.
1,2,3 Step Ready to The Walk Challenge
It's time to start preparing for the AHA Heart Walk on Sept. 21.
Sept. 10-20, you will have the opportunity to participate in the 11-Day Step Challenge through the Living Well Platform. This challenge will help you get conditioned and ready for the walk while earning 50 points on the wellness platform.
Take Care of Your Heart
- Be Active
Good heart health is essential for the prevention of all types of heart disease, including cardiovascular and coronary heart disease, as well as stroke.
One of the most important things you can do for your heart is to be active. Aerobic exercise is essential for managing cardiovascular risk. It helps control your weight and decreases the chances of developing other conditions that can put a strain on your heart, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. It also helps to reduce stress and lower inflammation, both of which can contribute to heart disease.
Most health experts believe that getting 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity on most days of the week is optimal, but even lesser amounts can offer benefits to the heart.
Your exercise doesn’t have to be accomplished all at once, it can be broken up into 10-minute sessions at a time, for example. Remember that activities like doing household chores and gardening also count toward your total.
Love your heart and use this helpful resource to stay fit.
- Eat a Heart Healthy Diet
Eating a heart healthy diet includes consuming plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, as well as foods that contain healthy fats like nuts and seeds, wild-caught salmon, coconut, and olive oils.
Eating onions regularly can also help to keep the blood from forming clots, and even to dissolve those that exist in the circulatory system. Drinking a moderate amount of alcohol, preferably red wine, can also protect the heart. It’s suggested that men consume no more than two drinks per day, while women should stick to one.
Love your heart and use these helpful resources:
- Healthy Teeth, Healthy Heart
Gum disease (periodontitis) is associated with an increased risk of developing heart disease. Poor dental health increases the risk of a bacterial infection in the blood stream, which can affect the heart valves. Oral health may be particularly important if you have artificial heart valves.
Start the following good habits to help your teeth:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day using a fluoride toothpaste.
- Clean your teeth interdentally every day, using floss, or interdental brushes.
- Schedule regular routine dental appointments so any problems can be identified early.
- Schedule regular hygiene appointments so the dentist or hygienist can ensure all plaque and tartar is removed from your teeth.
Love your teeth and make your dental appointments using this helpful dental resource
- Manage High Blood Pressure
Good news! High blood pressure is manageable. Find out what you can do to enjoy wellness and live at your healthiest potential. There are eight main ways you can control your blood pressure.
They are:
- Eat a better diet, which may include reducing salt.
- Enjoy regular physical activity.
- Maintain a healthy weight.
- Manage stress.
- Avoid tobacco smoke.
- Comply with medication prescriptions.
- If you drink, limit alcohol.
- Understand hot tub safety.
Adopting a healthy lifestyle is critical for the prevention of high blood pressure and an indispensable part of managing it. Think of these changes as a "lifestyle prescription" and make every effort to comply with them.
Whether you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, or are concerned because you have some of the risk factors for the disease, understand this: while there is no cure, high blood pressure is manageable.
By adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, you can:
- Reduce high blood pressure.
- Prevent or delay the development of HBP.
- Enhance the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.
- Lower your risk of heart attack, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease.
Love your heart and use these helpful heart health resources.
- Quit Smoking
We are assuming you don’t smoke cigarettes – if you do, quitting may be the best decision you could ever make to avoid a wide range of diseases and early death. Kicking the habit can kick start your body into an important path towards a healthy heart.
Love your heart and use this helpful resource to quit smoking.
Following these tips is your best bet for achieving and maintaining a healthy heart that can help you live a longer – and better – life!