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According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), one in every four deaths can be attributed to heart disease. In response to these figures, heart health should be a priority year-round. Begin your efforts with lifestyle changes, such as eating right, quitting smoking, lessening stress and exercising.
Simply going to the gym might not be enough to keep your heart healthy for years to come. To develop the right long-term plan for you, work with one of our physical therapists.
What Is Heart-Healthy Exercise?
Based on recommendations from the American Heart Association, a heart-healthy exercise plan should include cardiovascular or aerobic activity five times per week, for at least 30 minutes a session. Cardio not only gets your body moving, but routine engagement in this type of exercise:
- Works to strengthen your heart and blood vessels
- Helps improve how oxygen moves through your body
- Helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol
- Lessens your risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, certain cancers and adverse cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke.
To start, there are many easily accessible exercises with cardiovascular benefits. These include walking, jogging, running, swimming, biking and dancing.
Keep in mind, cardio on its own might not be enough. Trainers often encourage a mix of cardio and strength training, which works to increase the body’s metabolic rate. Over time, the elevated metabolic rate helps reduce the amount of fatty tissue within the body, including visceral fat around vital organs. To keep your heart healthy, get in the habit of doing strength training twice a week, along with cardio.
What If You Have Time Constraints?
Looking at female patients 65 years and older, a recent study reviewed by the US Department of Health and Human Services found that even light physical activity lessens one’s heart and cardiovascular disease risks.
Published in JAMA, the study examined over 5,800 women during a five-year period. They all wore a hip accelerometer for a week to establish their physical activity rates. From that point forward, researchers examined their incidence of coronary heart disease or cardiovascular disease, grouping patients by how much time they spent exercising per day. Activity ranged from 36 minutes to as much as 617 minutes. Factors like alcohol and cigarette usage, chronic conditions and current use of antihypertensive and antilipidemic medications were also taken into account.
The results showed those involved in the greatest amount of physical activity per day had lower cardiovascular and heart disease rates, plus lower BMIs, HDL-C, triglycerides and glucose levels, than those who engaged in less physical activity. On the other hand, even those in the least active group experienced some benefit from making an effort to be active.
What If You’ve Had a Cardiovascular Event?
After an adverse health event, your doctor may recommend a structured cardiac rehabilitation plan and monitor your progress. Although you might not want to jump right into an intensive mix of cardio and strength training, making lifestyle changes that emphasize greater heart-healthy physical activity aid in the recovery from heart failure and improve quality of life.
Cardiac rehabilitation may be recommended by your doctor to reduce your risks of heart disease, another adverse cardiac event or death by stabilizing, if not improving, your heart condition. Along with targeted exercise training and physical therapy, you will be advised to change your eating habits and reduce stress levels.
Cardiovascular rehabilitation plans start with a medical evaluation to develop a heart-healthy diet and nutrition plan that’s right for your current condition. A physical therapist may recommend:
- Low-impact physical activity with low injury risk, with sessions about three times per week.
- Learning how to properly warm up and cool down.
- Muscle strengthening or resistance training with light weights.
For patients who do not exercise often, a physical therapist will structure the program according to your current abilities and move at a slower pace.
Long term, patients who engage in cardiac rehabilitation experience 30-percent fewer heart attacks and lower the chance of heart surgery, compared to those on a standard exercise and diet plan.
Cardio rehabilitation is commonly prescribed for heart attacks and heart failure but your doctor may also recommend it as you’re recovering from:
- Coronary artery disease
- Peripheral artery disease
- Coronary artery bypass surgery
- Angioplasty
- Stent placement
- Heart transplant
- Valve repair
- Hypertension
- Angina
- Cardiomyopathy
- Congenital heart diseases
Are you looking to improve your heart health with more physical activity? Rather than hitting the treadmill, build a targeted plan for your lifestyle and goals with the trainers at Integrated Rehab. To learn more, contact us today.