It is common knowledge that exercising is highly beneficial for health. Working out and exercising is recommended for losing weight, gaining weight, overcoming obesity, diabetes and overall health.
But have you ever wondered if exercising helps in preventing heart attacks and strokes? It does. Research proves that a healthy diet combined with physical activity prevents heart disease, additionally, reverses some of the risk factors.
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Does Physical Activity Help In Preventing Heart Attack And Stroke?
It is a lesser-known fact that the heart is a muscle. And just like every muscle needs exercise, the heart needs it too. Muscles that are regularly utilized by working out become healthier and stronger. On the other hand, muscles that aren’t used much weaken and become prone to health problems.
The heart can pump a much higher amount of blood when it is exercised and it can continue to function efficiently. An exercised heart will stay healthy for much longer than an inactive heart.
Regular physical activity maintains flexibility in arteries and blood vessels. This ensures normal blood pressure and good blood flow.
An inactive or sedentary lifestyle has been listed as one of the top five reasons that cause heart attacks. The other reasons are smoking, high cholesterol levels, obesity and high blood pressure.
According to Circulation, a journal of American Heart Association, 250,000 deaths every year in the US happen because of inactive lifestyle and exercise lack. Those who do not have the required amount of physical activity are vulnerable to cardiovascular events.
Research conducted by University of South Carolina men who seated or were inactive for more than 23 hours a week had 64% heart disease risk compared to those with less than 11 hours.
The University of Maryland Medical Center says that inactive people are 35% more prone to developing high blood pressure compared to physically active people.
Exercising for about 30 minutes every day for five days a week helps in improving the heart’s health. Physical activity here can be defined as anything that burns calories and moves your body. This includes jogging, climbing stairs, sports, swimming, walking, biking and much more.
Studies say that working out a little is much better than not working out at all. A Circulation’s review said that engaging in 150 minutes of moderate-level exercise can reduce the risk of coronary heart disease up to 14%. The more your exercise, the lower your risk. A 10 minutes interval a couple of times a day can benefit too, says the Mayo Clinic.
Exercising prevents strokes too. A stroke is a damage to the brain because of interrupted blood supply. Health experts say that the best ways to prevent a stroke are a healthy diet, quitting smoking and exercising. What causes stroke in most cases are arteries clogging, high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure levels.
Pairing exercising with a healthy diet is the best way you can safeguard yourself from a stroke. Regular physical activity helps maintain good cholesterol levels and healthy blood pressure rate, both of which reduces the risk of stroke.
What exercises help you prevent a heart attack?
Aerobic exercises help in improving circulation, which lowers blood pressure. It improves the pumping of the heart. A 30 minutes exercise a day, for at least five days helps improve your heart health. This can include cycling, playing tennis, running, jumping rope and brisk walking.
Resistance training is for people with excess body fat. This can help in fat reduction and form a lean muscle mass. Practice this for two alternate days per week. This includes dumbbells, barbells, weight machines, push-ups and squats.
Physical activity including flexibility, balance and stretching help too. This helps in staying flexible which is a critical part of other exercises. You can practice this daily. This includes basic stretches or anything your doctor recommends. Yoga helps too.
Prevent stroke by working out
Get at least 30 minutes of exercise every day, and if possible, more. If you are overweight, work out to reduce the extra body weight. The ideal body mass index is 25 or less.
Practice activities like golfing, walking or jogging. You can exercise with moderate activities for five days a week. You can start by taking a walk around the neighborhood or join a fitness club. Try to reach a level where you’re breathing hard.
Apart from heart failure and stroke, exercise and working out has proven to benefit a number of health conditions. You can start by following a routine and pushing your limits. Because health is indeed wealth.
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