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Exercise and Heart Health
Benefits Of Exercise for Heart Health
February is heart health awareness month. Physical activity is one of the best things you can do to help prevent a heart attack or stroke. Being active is one part of a heart-healthy lifestyle. Eating healthy foods, not smoking, and staying at a healthy weight are other ways you can be heart-healthy and help prevent a heart attack or a stroke.
If you are not active, you have a higher risk of heart disease (also called coronary artery disease).
It's never too early or too late to make physical activity part of your life. If you are healthy, it can help you keep your heart as healthy as possible. If you have had a heart attack or stroke, being active is very important to help prevent another one.
Being active helps keep your heart and blood vessels healthy in many ways, it can:
- Raise "good" (HDL) cholesterol levels.
- Help you lose weight or stay at a healthy weight.
- Lower blood pressure.
- Control blood sugar.
Regular activity might also help your heart if you do have a heart attack. It may increase the number of smaller blood vessels that connect different coronary arteries. These are called collateral blood vessels. If one of the major coronary arteries is suddenly blocked, these collateral blood vessels serve as an alternate route to supply blood to the portion of the heart muscle that is threatened by a heart attack.
Being active does more than just keep your heart healthy. It keeps your body and mind healthy too. The added benefits of regular exercise include:
- Mental well-being and stress relief.
- Increased flexibility, if stretching is done afterwards.
- Increased bone strength, if the exercise includes weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging or lifting weights.
Being more active doesn't have to be hard. Any activity that raises your heart rate can help your heart. Do something you enjoy, such as walking, cycling, swimming, or dancing. To get and stay healthy, do the activity at a level that is right for you—moderate or vigorous, try to do:
- Moderate activity, for at least 2½ hours a week. One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.
- Vigorous activity, for at least 1¼ hours a week. One way to do this is to be active 25 minutes a day, at least 3 days a week.
Talk to your doctor before you start being active. This is very important if you have been diagnosed with coronary artery disease, you haven't been active for a long time, or you have other heart, lung, or metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Your doctor can help you choose activities that will help your heart and are safe for you.
To access the full article on preventing a heart attack and stroke by using exercise, click here.
In partnership with the YMCA, Hally Health focuses on a variety of topics aimed at people of any age or fitness level who want to stay healthy and active. Try this Resistance Band Exercise Workout that’s sure to get your heart pumping. To view all our YMCA partnership fitness videos throughout the month, please visit hally.com or Facebook.com/HallyHealth.