I have spent years working as a cardiology nurse, from supporting clients who are predisposed to heart disorders to aiding cardiac patients in their physical reintegration. Through my encounter with cardiovascular clients, I have deduced that patients who do regular exercise have the lowest risk for heart problems and patients with newly diagnosed heart condition who participate in an exercise program report an earlier recommencement to work and improvements in other portions of quality of life, such as more self-confidence, minimal stress, and less anxiety. Heart disease may be a primary cause of death these days, but that doesn’t mean you have to accept it as your destiny. Risk factors may be inevitable, but there are some key heart disease prevention measures you can seize.
Healthy lifestyle won’t eradicate cardiovascular disease risk altogether, but it can lower your heart disease risk significantly. Getting your body in fine fettle through physical activity and healthier eating will help condense cardiovascular disease.
Physical activity helps you restrain your weight and can decrease your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. It also lessens tension, which may be a precipitating factor of heart disease. Start choosing an activity and doing it only once a week, then slowly progress up to two to three times a week until the fitness activity has become a habit. Once the fitness activity has become regular and part of the norm, try increasing the time you do it or trying something new, like signing up for a gym class. Also activities such as housekeeping, morning walks with the dog, gardening and yard work, as well as things like taking the stairs all count toward staying healthy. Try getting at least a half hour to an hour of moderate to intense physical activity at least 4 days a week. Strenuous exercise is not needed to get the best results, but you can always see better benefits by increasing the frequency duration and intensity of your exercise workouts.
Here are a few heart and exercise tips to get you going:
- 1. Exercise three to four times a week, for at least 30 minutes.
- 2. Start off gradually and keep your routine going.
- 3. Always spend time stretching before and after training.
- 4. Drink plenty of water and take time between exercise sets.
Along with following a regular exercise routine, eating a healthy diet and adhering to a healthy lifestyle completes the triad in maintaining a vigorous & dynamic heart.