THE ISSUE OF HEART

DISEASE
AND THE SOLUTION OF
EXERCISE AND HEALTHY
EATING WITHIN MY FAMILY

ABOUT HEART DISEASE

Heart Disease is:
Any condition of the heart that impairs functioning
A structural or functional abnormality of the heart, or of the blood vessels supplying
the heart
Well-known Types:
Coronary Artery Disease
Heart Valve Disease
Heart Attacks
Heart Murmurs
Common Symptoms of Heart Disease are:
Shortness of breath
Palpitations (irregular heart beats)
Weakness or dizziness
Sweating

HEART DISEASE STATISTICS

Heart disease has been the
leading cause of death in the
U.S. since 1921.
Last year, an estimated 95.6
million people in the US are
living with cardiovascular
disease, including heart
attack, stroke, high blood
pressure, and chest pain.

MY SOLUTION
Because of the increasing rates of unhealthy behaviors around the world,
there has been a global increase in heart problems.
I will help solve this issue locally by taking action within my family. I will:
1. Make my family members aware of the problem
2. Provide them with healthy, yet cheap and easy to access food choices in
appropriate serving sizes
3. Offer knowledge of opportunities to exercise

HOW
I will use framing to make the change appealing.
I will shape the eating habits of others by slowly introducing healthy foods to their diets.
I will follow exercise-like behaviors with reinforcement to encourage the behavior to
continue.
I will slowly substitute food purchased regularly at the grocery store with healthier
options. Ex: Replace whole milk with fat free, wheat bread instead of white, fruit snacks
instead of cookies.
I will discourage stops at fast food restaurants and encourage family bonding with
homemade meals for dinner, where everyone pitches in. With everyone leaning towards a
healthier lifestyle, there is a smaller chance of opposition.
I will ask for family outings to the park to begin a move towards exercise.
I will exercise and eat healthy in hopes of encouraging my family members to do the

EXERCISE BEFORE
May 2015
Sunday
10
Dad lifted
weights

Monday
11

Tuesday
12
Mom walked
the dog.

Wednesday
13

Thursday
14

Friday
15

I ran for half a Mom walked

mile.
the dog.

Saturday
16

DIET BEFORE
May 2015
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

10

11

12

13

Dad grilled
hot dogs.

All ate out at

Outback.

All ate out at Mom made

Olive Garden. spaghetti.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

14

15

16

All ate out at

Panda
Express.

Pizza was
ordered.

All ate
leftovers.

INFORMING MY FAMILY
I told my family members, Mom, Dad, 13-year-old sister and 13-year-old
brother, everything I had learned about heart disease. They were initially
shocked, but became excited about my new project. They recognized our
unhealthy habits and exhibited a willingness to change for the better.

GROCERY LISTS
May 12th:
White bread
Oreos
Bananas
Whole milk
Coke
Ice cream
Eggs
Chips

EXERCISE ACTIVITIES
Anything that makes you move fast enough to raise your heart rate is a
heart-healthy exercise.
My family took trips to the pool and we all swam laps.
I used the information and exercises I learned from aerobics last year to
make workouts for my family members.
My family went biking around the neighborhood.
Running is a simple and effective exercise that we practiced.

HOMEMADE DINNERS
Quick Chicken Chili ground white meat,
low-sodium chicken broth, bell pepper, fatfree sour cream, spices
Mango, Avocado, and Black Bean Salad
avocado, mango, no-salt black beans, nosalt and low-sodium corn, onions, cilantro
Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs with Brown
Rice boneless chicken breasts, lowsodium soy sauce, pineapple, tomatoes

EXERCISE AFTER ONE WEEK

May 2015
Sunday
17

Monday
18

Tuesday
19

Wednesday
20

Dad lifted
The whole
The whole
Everyone
weights while family walked family walked went for a
I did
the dog.
the dog.
run.
aerobics.

Thursday
21

Friday
22

The whole
Mom and my
family walked siblings did
the dog.
yoga while
Dad lifted
weights and I
ran and did
aerobics.

Saturday
23
Rest day.

EXERCISE AFTER TWO WEEKS

May 2015
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

24

25

26

Everyone
went
canoeing.

The whole
Mom and my
family walked siblings did
the dog.
yoga while
Dad lifted
weights and I
ran and did
aerobics.

Wednesday
27

Thursday
28

The whole
Everyone
family walked went to the
the dog.
pool and
swam.

Friday
29

Saturday
30

The whole
Rest day.
family walked
the dog.

DIET AFTER ONE WEEKS

May 2015
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

17

18

19

20

Dad made
pork chops
with green
beans and
mashed
potatoes.

All ate out at

Applebees.

Everyone
Mom made
helped make macaroni
Quick
with ham.
Chicken Chili.

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

21

22

23

Mom made
whole wheat
tacos.

All ate out at

Crispers.

All ate
leftovers.

DIET AFTER TWO WEEKS

May 2015
Sunday

Monday

Tuesday

24

25

26

Dad grilled
chicken with
corn on the
cobb, white
bread rolls,
and sweet
tea.

Everyone
Dad made
helped make
split pea
Mango,
soup.
Avocado, and
Black Bean
Salad with
grilled chicken.

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

27

28

29

30

Mom made
lasagna.

Everyone
helped make
Hawaiian
Chicken
Kebabs with
Brown Rice.

All ate out at

Liangs
Bistro.

All ate
leftovers.

FAMILY MEMBERS FEEDBACK

It was obvious that my family and I became much happier after a mere two
weeks of taking action. We have bonded more closely and are healthier
overall. My siblings ask me what they should do for their next exercise and
my mother asks me to recommend recipes.

SOURCES
American Heart Association Statistical Report Tracks Global Figures For First Time.
(2014, December 17). .Retrieved May 19, 2015, from
http://blog.heart.org/american-heart-association-statistical-report-.tracks-globalfigures-first-time/
ARIC News: Rates of Death from Coronary Heart Disease are Declining. (2010, March
1). Retrieved May .16, 2015, from http://www.aricnews.net/1003newsminn.pdf
Davis, C., & Saltos, E. (n.d.). Dietary Recommendations and How They Have Changed
Over Time. .Retrieved May 16, 2015, from
http://www.ers.usda.gov/media/91022/aib750b_1_.pdf
Shaw, G. (2014, October 3). Can You Reverse Heart Disease? Retrieved May 19, 2015,
from .http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/features/can-you-reverse-heartdisease
"Heart-Healthy Recipes." Heart-Healthy Recipes. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
<http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/NutritionCenter/Recipes/HeartHealthy-Recipes_UCM_465114_RecipeLanding.jsp>.
"Exercise for a Healthy Heart." WebMD. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 May 2015.
<http://www.m.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/exercise-healthy-heart>.