Step into spring at Dallas’ best walking trails.

With frost starting to thaw and temps starting to rise, it’s a perfect time to walk off those winter blues while doing something good for your heart! And the Dallas-Fort Worth area is a great place to do that, with several trails that offer everything from blood-pumping terrain to a showcase of the region’s flora and fauna. Here are some of our favorites.

White Rock Lake Trail (Dallas)
8300 Garland Road
11.8-mile trail around White Rock Lake

White Rock Lake Trail is perhaps the best-known and most popular trail in Dallas. Featuring a beautiful view of the lake, the paved trail is known as “jogger’s heaven.”

Bachman Lake Trail (Dallas)
North of Love Field on Northwest Highway and Webb Chapel
3-mile trail around Bachman Lake

There are fewer joggers and cyclists at Bachman Lake Trail than White Rock, making it a perfect choice for leisurely family strolls.

Dallas Arboretum (Dallas)
8525 Garland Road
66 acres of magnificent gardens and lush lawns

Want the best nature has to offer? Then beat feet through the arboretum’s series of beautiful gardens and fountains, right in the heart of Dallas.

Unexpected cold snap? Take to the malls. The Medical City Heart & Soles group meets every Tuesday, 7–9 a.m., at NorthPark Center. It’s free of charge. Call 972-566-BEAT for more information.

It’s almost spring, so welcome it in sunshiny style with this fruity shake that was developed for Medical City by Frisco ISD culinary students.

Sparkling Sunshine

Ingredients:

Nutritional information:
60 calories, 0.1 gm fat (0 gm saturated), 8 mg sugar, 0.1 gm dietary fibers

The negative health effects of smoking are well-known, with more than 400 studies linking smoking to heart disease. In fact, among smokers, heart disease causes more deaths than lung cancer, and as many as 30% of all heart disease deaths can be linked to smoking.

But smoking can also put your kids’ health at risk. Just 30 minutes of secondhand smoke exposure can cause heart damage similar to that of habitual smokers. It’s also thought that children who are exposed to smokers—even those who smoke outside the home—are at greater risk for ear infections, allergies, asthma, wheezing, pneumonia and frequent upper respiratory tract infections. Plus, studies show that kids are far more likely to start smoking themselves if their parents light up cigarettes around them.

But it’s never too late to stop. Pick a date to stop smoking and stick to it. To help you stay motivated, keep a list of your reasons for quitting. Before you know it, your bad habit will be up in smoke.

Hey kids—did you know pumping blood is one of your heart's most important functions. By circulating blood throughout your body, your heart helps deliver oxygen to all your body’s cells. Your cells need this oxygen to stay alive.

Ready to get your blood pumping—and your mind racing? Then play our Fill Your Hearts game and see how quickly you can circulate hearts!

Dr. Mendeloff is the director of Medical City’s Congenital Heart Surgery program. He came to Medical City Children’s Hospital in November of 2003 for an “opportunity to provide the highest level of congenital heart care to patients born with congenital heart defects, all under one roof.” Recognized as a leader in the field worldwide, Dr. Mendeloff has spoken at national and international meetings on a variety of topics including congenital heart surgery and transplantation. You can meet more of our specialists at our website,
SpecialistsInChildren.com.