Virtual Field’s Post

High quality vision care is important for everyone, but different communities face different risks. The intersection of race and health in the US is a complicated topic, and eye health is no exception. The health of your eyes is tied to your whole body’s health, and reflects your overall health in important ways. That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of the ways race and ancestry can interact with and impact the health of your eyes. When you’re aware of the risk factors that affect you, you can work with your care provider to be your own best advocate. As a Black-owned company based in Detroit, Heritage believes firmly in the value of high-quality vision care for everyone, and we work hard to help people gain access to care who might otherwise struggle to find it. Regular eye exams can catch a wide range of health problems in their early stages—and not just eye conditions, either. Taking advantage of your vision care benefits is an important way to look out for your overall well-being, and knowing your medical risk factors helps you take the best advantage possible. Read our latest blog post to learn more about how race and eye health intersect. https://loom.ly/7s56Gco (Post 1 of 7) #eyecare #wellness #healthequity

🚶♂️💓 Step Up for Heart Health! A groundbreaking study from the University of Sydney's Charles Perkins Centre, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, highlights the power of steps against the backdrop of a sedentary lifestyle. Dr Matthew Ahmadi and the team have unveiled that hitting a daily target of 9,000 to 10,000 steps can significantly reduce the risks of death and cardiovascular disease (CVD) for those who tend to sit too much. While it's clear that no amount of stepping is a magic cure for long hours of sitting, this research carries a vital public health message: every move counts. By increasing daily steps, individuals can combat the negative effects of sedentary behaviour, offering a simple, tangible way to track and boost physical activity levels. 🔍 The Study at a Glance: - Data from 72,174 participants, with an average age of 61, wearing accelerometers for a week. - Median daily steps: 6,222, with 10.6 hours spent sitting on average. - Optimal steps (9,000-10,000) reduced mortality risk by 39% and CVD risk by 21%. - Even 4,000-4,500 steps daily made a significant difference, halving the risk. 👣 Every Step Counts: This research paves the way for device-based physical activity guidelines, emphasizing the importance of daily stepping as a measure of well-being. "We hope this evidence will inform the first generation of device-based physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines," says senior author Professor Emmanuel Stamatakis. Whether it's a walk in the park, a few extra laps around the office, or choosing stairs over elevators, integrating more steps into your day can be a game-changer for your heart health and longevity. Let's move a priority, one step at a time! 🌟 #HeartHealth #StepCount #PhysicalActivity #PublicHealth #MoveMore https://lnkd.in/e5afi6yi

Research shows walking can offset the risks of sitting at a desk. Research by the University of Sydney is the first to objectively measure whether daily steps are able to offset the health risks of sedentary behaviour. The results, which were published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, found that 10,000 steps a day can reduce risk of premature death by 39 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 21 per cent, even if the rest of the time is spent being sedentary. Even small numbers of steps can make a materials difference, found the team. We should all be aiming for 9,000 to 10,000 steps a day. Half this daily step count still brings 50 per cent of the benefits Meeting guidelines can reduce mortality risk by 39 per cent. Researchers used data on 72,174 individuals (average age 61 and 58 per cent female) from the UK Biobank study - a major biomedical database - who had worn an accelerometer device on their wrist for seven days. The daily step count and time spent sedentary was calculated and then the health trajectory of the participants was followed up via hospitalisation data and death records. #exercise #wellness #health #research #walking #fittness #circulation #movement #share #move #nualawoulfe #universityofsydney

🚨 Attention, everyone! Let's talk about a health risk hiding in plain sight: Sedentarianism. Living a sedentary lifestyle is now called a chronic disease, not just a harmless habit. 🛋️❌ Is being stationary no big deal if you're eating right and trying to stay healthy otherwise? Think again. Society may have lowered the bar on what's considered "normal," but let's be honest: A sedentary lifestyle is living in a state of metabolic disease. Ignoring this issue isn't an option. Sedentarianism is linked to numerous chronic diseases, yet it's something that can be reversed without significant cost. Unless you're dealing with specific health conditions, choosing to stay sedentary is a risky decision, one that's akin to embracing a disease. 💔 Did you know? A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association revealed that older women sitting for more than 11 hours a day upped their risk of death by 30% — and that's regardless of exercise. 🕒💺 Sitting too long slows blood flow, decreases glucose uptake, and reduces muscle contractions. In short, your body isn't getting what it needs to thrive. The key takeaway? Move more! Even short breaks from sitting can make a big difference. 🏃♀️🏃 And guess what? High-tech wearables and AI have brought us new insights, showing the undeniable impact of prolonged sitting on our health. Exercise alone can't counteract the hours spent sitting; it's about how long you sit without a break that counts. 🤖💡 Let's rethink our attraction to activities that keep us seated. It's not about eliminating rest or leisure but integrating movement into our day. Stand up, stretch, and stroll — your body (and brain!) will thank you. 🧠❤️ #MoveMore #SedentaryLifestyle #HealthAwareness https://lnkd.in/d3xez8R6

Because eye health is so closely tied to whole-body health, even diseases that aren’t eye-specific can have impacts on your vision. Diabetes disproportionately affects Native Americans and non-Hispanic Black people in the US. Although their rates are at or below average for the country as a whole, Latino and Asian American people also experience higher rates of diabetes than white people. Diabetes impacts the small blood vessels in the body, and with so many small blood vessels running through the eyes, it can have serious effects on eye health. When diabetes damages the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye, it can lead to impaired vision and, eventually, vision loss. This condition is called diabetic retinopathy, and it’s one of the leading causes of blindness in the US. In addition, diabetes can also contribute to cortical cataracts. Groups with a higher incidence of diabetes will also be at risk for higher rates of diabetic retinopathy and cortical cataracts. Read our latest blog post to learn more about how race and community can interact with eye health. https://loom.ly/7s56Gco (Post 5 of 7) #eyecare #wellness #healthequity

World Retina Week is commemorated annually to raise awareness on issues regarding eye care and eye health. This year’s theme is “Love your eyes – kids” and it aims to raise awareness about the alarming rise in myopia among children, a condition that poses significant risks of irreversible eye damage if not addressed promptly and effectively. Myopia is a common refractive error that makes distant objects appear blurry. Myopia typically occurs because light isn’t bending properly into the retina. Growing numbers of children are developing myopia, which is closely correlated with their changing lifestyles involving less time spent outside and more near-work activities and screen time. According to projections, half of the world's population, or 5 billion people, may suffer from myopia by the year 2050. As a result, it is recommended to have strict screen time limitations and at least 2 hours of outdoor time daily for kids. Sources: 1.       World Retina Week: September 23-29, 2024 – EyeSite 2.       What is Myopia? (Nearsightedness): Symptoms & Treatment (visioncenter.org) 3.       World Retina Week | South African Government (www.gov.za)

Well, here's the thing... Previous studies on aging have found that how people thought about themselves at age 50 predicted a wide range of future health outcomes up to 40 years later -- cardiovascular events, memory, balance, will to live, hospitalizations; even mortality. "Previous research has shown that people who have positive views of aging at 50 live 7.5 years longer, on average, than people who don't," said Karen Hooker, co-author of the study and the Jo Anne Leonard Petersen Endowed Chair in Gerontology and Family Studies at OSU. Now do you understand why I am sharing more about midlife? #midlife #optimism

Despite societal and generational beliefs that ageing is a curse, we think it's time to celebrate the journey inevitable to those of us who are privileged with a long life. What if instead we saw ageing not as a decline, but a transformation, a process where our wisdom and body creates a tapestry of experience. What if instead we believed that the best was yet to come and looked to support our body and skin for the next chapters. 🖤   Read here: https://lnkd.in/eMkDVWdC #ageing #journal #wellbeing #blog #skinhealth

Boost Your Eye Health With These 10 Simple Tips https://lnkd.in/dvUZHTEF Boost Your Eye Health With These 10 Simple Tips