When teaching classes on heart-healthy living, I commonly ask by show of hands, who has heart disease? Interstingingly, not everyone raises their hand. But then I ask a more pointed question. Who in this class has high blood pressure? Remarkably, many more people raise their hands. Years ago, this surprised me. However, I have come to realize there is a significant disconnect for many when discussing various chronic health conditions. This is why I love helping people better understand health and how their lifestyle impacts their health.

Are you getting enough physical activity?

Sadly, if you are like most adults and teens, you are not getting the recommended amount of physical activity. In fact, only one in four adults and one in five teens meet the recommended 150-300 minutes/week of moderate-intensity or 75-150 minutes/week of vigorous physical.

Chronic kidney disease is an often-unspoken chronic illness, resulting in the gradual loss of kidney or renal function over time. An estimated 37 million adults living in the United States have chronic kidney disease, and many do not know they have it.

Fall is a welcome time of year for many. The beautiful colors, the cooler temperatures, lower humidity levels, and the comforting fall flavors are all reasons to get excited about this time of year. However, with the changing of the season, we must keep our eyes on our wellness goals. October is Healthy Lung Month, and with almost 37 million Americans living with chronic lung disease, what better time than now to focus on our lung health.