Heart Mag - June 2026: A Connected Summer for Heart Health
- 4 days ago
- 8 min read
Author: Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
Length: minute read
Categories: Heart Mag, Heart Health, Lifestyle & Wellbeing, Cardiac Rehabilitation, Community
Service update
A short service update to begin this month’s Heart Mag: we’ve had some encouraging funding news, with a potential funding approval now being progressed.
I’ll share more once everything is fully confirmed, but it is a positive step for helping My Movement Medicine C.I.C. continue building safe, sustainable community exercise and health support.
Thank you, as always, to everyone who attends, supports, donates, shares feedback, and helps make the sessions feel welcoming.
The World Cup sweepstake, just for fun
The World Cup is underway, and we are running a small My Movement Medicine World Cup Sweepstake for a bit of fun.
Anyone who has been to the sessions recently has been included, and teams have been randomly allocated and shared privately with the group.
There are a few prizes:
Winner: 3 free sessions and bragging rights
Runner up: 2 free sessions
Third place: 1 free session
The recommended donation is £2 per entry, with all donations going to My Movement Medicine C.I.C. to help support our community exercise and health work.
You can read the private sweepstake post here:
You can also follow the points tally here:
This is not meant to be complicated. It is just a simple way to enjoy the tournament together, add a bit of friendly competition, and keep the community spirit going.
Introduction
June is a good month to talk about connection.
There are several awareness days this month linked to community, caring, loneliness, men’s health, diabetes, clean air, healthy eating, cycling, and wellbeing. At first glance, that can look like a long list of separate topics. But there is a common thread:
Health is easier to maintain when you feel supported.
That support might come from a cardiac rehabilitation team, a group exercise class, a walking partner, a friend who checks in, a family member, a community service, or even a small World Cup sweepstake that gives people something light-hearted to follow together.
Heart health is not just blood pressure numbers, cholesterol results, step counts, medication routines, or exercise targets. Those things matter. But the routines that protect your heart are much easier to repeat when they sit inside a life that includes connection, structure, and a bit of enjoyment.
“Alone we can do so little; together we can do so much.” — Helen Keller
Key awareness days this month
Here are some of the key health and wellbeing awareness days in June:
Volunteers’ Week: 1–7 June 2026
Carers Week: 8–14 June 2026
Diabetes Week: 8–14 June 2026
Bike Week: 8–14 June 2026
Healthy Eating Week: 10–14 June 2026
World Blood Donor Day: 14 June 2026
Men’s Health Week: 15–21 June 2026
Loneliness Awareness Week: 15–21 June 2026
Clean Air Day: 18 June 2026
World Wellbeing Week: 24–30 June 2026
You do not need to engage with every campaign. That would be exhausting.
Instead, use June as a prompt to ask one useful question:
What would help me feel more supported with my health this month?
Why connection matters for heart health
Connection is not a fluffy extra.
For many people, it is the difference between stopping and continuing.
When people feel isolated, routines often become harder:
exercise feels easier to skip
low mood can make planning harder
meals become more irregular
sleep patterns drift
worries feel louder
confidence drops
On the other hand, connection can make health feel more manageable:
someone notices when you have not been around
a group session gives structure to the week
a shared challenge gives you a reason to keep going
a friendly message makes it easier to restart
being around others reduces the sense that you are doing it all alone
That is why cardiac rehabilitation works best when it is not just a set of exercises. The education, reassurance, pacing, routine, and group support all matter.
If you have ever finished a session and felt better because of the people as much as the exercise, that is not a small thing. That is part of why community exercise can work so well.
“The good life is built with good relationships.” — Robert Waldinger
Men’s Health Week, the checks people put off
Men’s Health Week takes place this month, and it is a useful reminder that many people delay seeking help until symptoms become harder to ignore.
A simple health check can be powerful. It does not need to be dramatic.
Useful things to keep an eye on include:
blood pressure
cholesterol
blood sugar / diabetes risk
medication reviews
changes in breathlessness
chest discomfort or reduced exercise tolerance
mood, stress, and sleep
A good rule:
If something has changed and it is not settling, do not just train harder around it. Get it checked.
Health confidence is not about ignoring symptoms. It is about knowing what is normal for you, what needs attention, and how to keep moving safely.
Diabetes Week, movement after meals can be simple
Diabetes Week is also in June, and diabetes is closely linked with cardiovascular risk.
This does not mean people need to panic or overhaul everything. Small, repeatable habits matter:
a short walk after meals
strength training twice per week
protein and fibre at meals
reducing sugary drink defaults
regular checks if advised by your clinician
medication consistency where relevant
One of the simplest habits is a 10-minute walk after a light meal. It supports routine, helps break up sitting time, and is easier to repeat than a perfect gym plan.
Carers Week, looking after the person who looks after everyone else
Carers Week is a good reminder that many people are quietly supporting someone else while putting their own health last.
If you are a carer, the plan does not need to be big. It needs to be realistic.
A minimum care plan could be:
10 minutes walking most days
one proper meal before the day gets away from you
one check-in message to someone who supports you
one protected rest point in the week
It is easy to see self-care as selfish when you are caring for someone else. But your health is part of the support system too.
Loneliness Awareness Week, connection does not have to mean being busy
Loneliness is not always about being physically alone. You can be surrounded by people and still feel unsupported.
The answer is not to fill every day with social activity. The goal is to build small, reliable points of connection.
That might be:
attending one group session
joining a short walk
replying to a message
sending a voice note
staying for a chat after class
asking someone how they are, and actually waiting for the answer
For people rebuilding after a cardiac event, confidence often grows faster when there is a safe group around them. Not because the group does the work for you, but because it makes showing up easier.
“Connection is why we’re here.” — Brené Brown
Clean Air Day, choose the route, not just the distance
Clean Air Day falls this month, and it is relevant for anyone with a heart or respiratory condition.
You do not need to stop walking outside. But it can help to be thoughtful:
choose quieter streets or parks where possible
avoid the busiest roads at peak traffic times
walk earlier or later on hot days
keep effort easier if air quality or heat feels poor
use indoor options when symptoms are more sensitive
The best walk is not always the longest one. Sometimes it is the one that feels safest, most comfortable, and most repeatable.
The connected summer plan
Here is a simple June plan that brings the month together.
1) One movement anchor
Pick one:
Monday session
Wednesday session
weekend walk
10-minute daily walk
two strength sessions per week
The goal is to have one movement habit that does not depend on motivation.
2) One health check
Pick one:
check your blood pressure
book a medication review if overdue
check diabetes risk if relevant
ask about cholesterol if you are unsure
speak to your GP or cardiac team about a symptom you have been ignoring
3) One connection point
Pick one:
attend a group session
message someone after class
invite someone for a short walk
join the WhatsApp chat
take part in the sweepstake
4) One recovery habit
Pick one:
no scrolling in bed
10 minutes wind-down
earlier caffeine cut-off
5 minutes breathing after work
one proper rest evening each week
This is not a summer challenge designed to exhaust you. It is a structure to help you stay steady.
Catch up on May’s health guides
Here are the May posts if you missed them:
Heart Mag - May 2026: Blood Pressure Month — The Simple Routine That Protects Your Heart
Exercise - May 2026: National Guidelines — Strength + Balance Twice a Week
Nutrition - May 2026: Sustainable Weight Management — Build Meals That Keep You Full
Psychology - May 2026: Meditation for Heart Health — What the Evidence Suggests
SMART challenges
Short-term SMART challenge: 7-day connected health reset
Specific: Complete one movement action, one connection action, and one recovery action this week.
Measurable: Tick off 3 actions by the end of 7 days.
Achievable: Keep each action small: a 10-minute walk, one message, one early night.
Relevant: Builds heart-healthy routine through movement, support, and recovery.
Time-bound: 7 days.
Long-term SMART challenge: connected summer baseline
Specific: For the next 4 weeks, complete 3 weekly anchors: one movement anchor, one health check or health admin action, and one connection point.
Measurable: 12 total actions over 4 weeks.
Achievable: Actions can be small and flexible.
Relevant: Supports long-term heart health by making routines easier to repeat.
Time-bound: 4 weeks.
How My Movement Medicine can help
If you want safe, structured, heart-conscious exercise with real support around you, My Movement Medicine can help.
Our face-to-face sessions in Hampstead give you a welcoming group environment, clear guidance, pacing support, and the confidence of exercising with others who understand the journey.
Our online sessions give you the same routine and support from home, which is ideal if travel is difficult, you live further away, or you want a flexible way to stay consistent.
Both options are designed to help you build fitness safely using:
longer warm-ups and cool-downs
the talk test
Borg RPE 6–20
adaptable strength, balance, and cardiovascular exercises
a friendly group structure that makes it easier to keep turning up
The best first step is to try a session and see how it feels.
Trying a new activity? Approach it the right way with some support from our Activity Specific Guides:
Recommended books
The Good Life — Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz
A practical look at the long-running Harvard Study of Adult Development and what it tells us about relationships, health, and ageing well.
Together — Vivek H. Murthy
A thoughtful book on loneliness, belonging, and why human connection should be treated as a serious health factor.
The Art of Gathering — Priya Parker
A useful book on how to make groups, meetings, and communities feel more meaningful, relevant for anyone interested in building supportive spaces.
References
Volunteers’ Week 2026
Carers Week 2026
Diabetes Week 2026
Bike Week 2026
Healthy Eating Week 2026
Men’s Health Week 2026
Loneliness Awareness Week 2026
Clean Air Day 2026
World Wellbeing Week 2026
Ending
A connected summer does not need to be busy, loud, or packed with plans. It can be simple: one walk, one check-in, one health action, one routine that helps you feel steady.
The more supported your health habits feel, the more likely they are to last.
This health guide was written by Jamie Pickett, Clinical Exercise Physiologist, Health Facilitator, & Founder of My Movement Medicine.
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