Health Matters
Visit here all year to learn more about the LAPD’s monthly Health Matters well-being campaigns.
2026
January: Patience
What You Need to Know:
Patience runs counter to the culture of 30-day challenges and health hacks. But when it comes to making lifestyle changes- like weight loss and fitness-playing the long game is the key to success.
“Patience is a virtue”: in this article, Dr. Robert Puff explains why there’s truth behind this adage, and the many ways that patience pays off.
In the famous “marshmallow” study conducted by Stanford researchers in the 1960s, kids who were patient enough to wait for a larger reward experienced better life outcomes.
Monthly Activities/Challenges:
Read article: Four Steps to Developing Patience
Practice patience with others: the next time a challenging situation arises, take a 5-second pause before responding, then deliberately slow down your pace and tone.
Practice patience with lifestyle changes: Set mini goals (daily or weekly) that lead you to your bigger, long-term goal.
Resources:
Book: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement by Kevin Gilmartin
February: Cardiovascular Health
What You Need to Know:
Cardiovascular disease is the #1 cause of death of male law enforcement officers in the US, and the 2nd for female law enforcement officers.
It’s more than heart attacks: the term cardiovascular disease also includes heart disease, stroke, arrhythmia, heart failure, and heart valve problems.
The majority of heart attacks and strokes are PREVENTABLE, and controlling high blood pressure is one of the most important steps towards prevention.
Monthly Activities/Challenges:
Familiarize yourself with the warning signs of stroke and heart attack.
Test your blood pressure , and take action to manage high blood pressure.
Follow a healthy diet with these 10 heart-healthy foods.