Staying physically active is a cornerstone of maintaining good heart health. Regular exercise strengthens your heart muscle, helps control your weight, and reduces artery damage caused by high cholesterol, high blood sugar, and high blood pressure—factors that can lead to heart attacks or strokes. To achieve complete fitness, incorporating various types of exercise is essential.
Here’s how different forms of exercise contribute to heart health:
Aerobic Exercise
Benefits: Aerobic exercise enhances circulation, lowers blood pressure and heart rate, and improves overall aerobic fitness. It also boosts cardiac output (how effectively your heart pumps blood) and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes. If you already have diabetes, aerobic exercise can help manage blood glucose levels.
Recommendations: Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise on most days, ideally five times a week.
Examples: Activities like brisk walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, and jumping rope are excellent options that contribute to cardiovascular health.
Resistance Training (Strength Work)
Benefits: Resistance training focuses on improving body composition by reducing fat and increasing lean muscle mass. Studies indicate that combining aerobic and resistance training can raise HDL (good) cholesterol levels and lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, both of which are beneficial for heart health.
Recommendations: Include resistance training at least two nonconsecutive days per week as part of your exercise routine.
Examples: Engage in strength workouts using free weights (dumbbells or barbells), weight machines, resistance bands, or body resistance exercises such as pushups, squats, and chin-ups.
Stretching, Flexibility, and Balance
Benefits: Although flexibility exercises don’t directly enhance heart health, they improve musculoskeletal health, allowing you to perform aerobic and resistance exercises more effectively. Maintaining flexibility can also prevent joint pain and cramping. Additionally, balance exercises help prevent falls, which can result in injuries that limit other physical activities.
Recommendations: Incorporate flexibility and balance exercises daily, especially before and after other workouts.
Examples: Basic stretching routines can be found through your healthcare provider, DVDs, or YouTube videos. Consider practices like yoga and tai chi, which promote flexibility and balance while providing relaxation.
Incorporating a variety of exercises into your routine can significantly boost your heart health and overall wellbeing. By engaging in aerobic exercise, resistance training, and flexibility workouts, you can take proactive steps toward a healthier heart. Always consult with your healthcare provider before starting any new exercise program, especially if you have existing health conditions.
Dr. Bobish
Dr. Bobish and her team’s goal is to help you reduce your risk of heart disease. Helping you to understand your risk factors and make healthful lifestyle changes.
Remember regardless of age or current state of health it is never too late to start protecting your heart. It is also never too soon and the sooner you act the better. Follow us on Facebook to see our latest post helping to keep you heart healthy. You can also explore all our articles that offer diet and exercise tips, recipes and information on procedures and heart disease.
Dr. Bobish and her team focus on preventative care and are here to support you. Alpine Cardiology provides patients with education as well as compassionate care and treatment. We are committed to keeping you healthy and heart smart! Request an appointment at 989-448-7002