Greater Nashville American Heart Association's annual Healthy For Good™ Heart Walk encourages exercise, raises funds to save lives

More than 8,500 Middle Tennessee area residents are expected to raise their heartrates and more than $2 million on September 15, 2018 for the American Heart Association, the world's leading voluntary organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

The Association's annual Greater Nashville Healthy For Good™ Heart Walk, sponsored by Change Healthcare and Vanderbilt Heart, begins at 8:00 am with the walk at 9:30 am at Vanderbilt University Campus' Capers Field and will be emceed by News 2 WKRN's Good Morning Nashville meteorologist, Jared Plushnick.

Individuals, teams and companies can sign up in advance at www.NashvilleHeartWalk.org for the non-competitive, three-mile walk (or the one-mile route for survivors).

Combining fitness and philanthropy, the Greater Nashville Heart walk is an annual staple in Middle Tennessee. The Heart Walk brings together corporate sponsors, walk teams, individual walkers, survivors and residents who are all taking steps toward a healthier lifestyle while raising funds to combat heart disease and stroke, the no. 1 and no. 5 killers, respectively, of ALL Americans. The Greater Nashville Heart Walk is a celebration of life and a day of fun for everyone. Proceeds go toward research, education and community programs.

Walking or participating in any exercise that raises your heartrate can boost your energy, strength and mood, while fending off serious health issues like obesity, high blood pressure, poor cholesterol and bone loss. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity per week for adults and 60 minutes of physical activity per day for children. Making these small changes to improve overall wellness is the foundation of the association's Healthy For Good movement, which provides practical information to help people eat smart, add color, move more and be well.

Presenting sponsors for the Greater Nashville Healthy For Good Heart Walk include Change Healthcare and Vanderbilt Heart. Media sponsors include News 2 WKRN and 650 AM WSM.