Heart Health Essentials
Heart health can be easily attainable for most people by using a heart healthy diet, combined with regular exercise to boost cardio fitness. In the United States, 610,000 people die of heart disease each year contributing to 1 in every 4 deaths. Coronary heart disease referred to as CHD is the most prevalent type of heart disease killing an estimated 370.000 people annually. The heart beats approximately 2.5 billion times in the life span of an average person pushing millions of gallons of oxygenated blood throughout the entire body. The AHA advisory published in 2010 consisted of seven factors for accessing cardiac health including body mass index, blood pressure, physical activity, smoking, blood glucose levels, and cholesterol levels. The heart is a muscular organ that pumps blood through the circulatory system and blood vessels located between the lungs in the middle of the chest cavity. The constant flow of blood delivers nutrients, vitamins, minerals, fuel, hormones, oxygen, compounds, and cells to internal organs and tissues mass. The heart plays a crucial role in delivering oxygen throughout the body and removes waste products and carbon dioxide from the body.
Cardio fitness heart healthy exercises are described as any physical activity that increases physical activity boosting endurance levels. Physical fitness is a state of well-being with the ability to perform aspects of occupations, sports, and daily activities. Cardio exercise training conditioning where the heart and lungs are trained to pump blood more efficiently increasing heart health. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death globally. One person dies every 36 seconds from cardiovascular disease resulting in about 655,000 Americans dying from heart disease each year. After decades of steady decline in the US. deaths from CVD are still on the rise: 840,678 deaths in 2016 up from 836,546 in 2015. Specific exercises can benefit aerobic conditioning whereby the lungs and heart pump blood throughout the body more efficiently allowing more oxygen to reach organs and muscle groups to enhance energy. Exercise is performed for various reasons: developing the cardiovascular system, losing weight, and improving physical fitness through a series of sports activities.
Calisthenics is a type of exercise consisting of a wide variety of controlled movements exercising large muscle groups. including running, walking, standing, grabbing, and pushing performed rhythmically with minimal equipment. Regular physical activity walking 10,000 steps per day promotes better sleep patterns allowing the body to regulate hormones while rejuvenating the mind and body which may lead to a healthy heart. Increase cardio fitness by getting a minimum of 150 minutes of cardio exercise, moderate aerobic physical activity, or 75 minutes of vigorous physical activity each week or a combination of moderate to intense cardio exercise each week. Walking 10,000 steps per day actually performing moderate aerobic activities challenges your body increasing your heart rate. Walking gets your heart to beat faster conditioning the cardiovascular system to move more oxygen and blood throughout the body while increasing lung capacity. Cycling is a healthy heart exercise sports enthusiasts hit the trails for socially originated fun exercising outside increases physical activity. Americans cycled on a regular basis for transportation or for recreational activities find the sports exertion known as a popular pursuit to increase cardio fitness.
Heart Health Tips
- Get a physical exam
- Exercise regurally
- Reduce Stress
- Eat a heart healthy diet
- Sleep well
Heart Health Facts
Cholesterol is a waxy fat-like substance that can build up in the walls of your arteries blocking blood flow and leading to stroke or heart disease. According to the Centers Of Disease Control, 71 million American adults suffer from low-density lipoprotein LDL bad cholesterol leading estimation that only one out of three have cholesterol under control. Fortunately, exercising on a regular basis along with a healthy diet plan can reduce cholesterol for heart health. It is important to check with your doctor for a complete physical examination along with a simple blood test to check cholesterol levels once per year. The number of people engaging in cycling in the United States has increased in the past three years from 43 million cyclists to 47.5 million in 2017. According to the American Heart Association, diet and exercise are the best weapons against fighting heart disease using healthy lifestyle choices. Simple changes in diet and exercise can make a huge impact on heart health to maintain optimal weight and reduce cholesterol by eliminating or greatly reducing processed foods, and sugary foods from your diet. Limit the number of trans fats and saturated fats you consume to lower your risk of heart disease lowering cholesterol levels for optimal blood flow.
Compare diets to find the best solution for losing weight by consuming delicious foods you will want to eat. Choose a heart healthy diet plan suited to fit your specific needs based on good nutritional advice. There are many diet plans available for people who want to shed weight loss one pound at a time however many individuals difficult to select the right plan. Before starting any diet it is always advised to talk to your primary health care professional for a complete examination. Discuss your health ruling out physical conditions that may lead to weight gain. Talk to your doctor about what program is best to ensure a coordinated plan between patient and physician. Finding the cause of weight gain can help determine the right course of action in determining dietary choices. Lowering cholesterol levels will reduce your risk of heart disease or needing bypass surgery to restore blood flow. Diet for a healthy heart is a safe effective method for maintaining weight throughout your lifespan. Americans should limit consuming less sodium in the diet which may have a negative impact on the heart.
Excessive sodium in processed foods can increase blood pressure because it holds excess fluid in the body adding additional strain on the heart. High levels of sodium may stiffen blood vessels and increase the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure. Heart healthy foods are packed with wholesome ingredients high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that can help reduce oxidative stress on the body. Oxidative stress is a state that occurs when there are excess free radicals in the body’s cells. Developing heart healthy clean eating habits is essential for preventing the disease from developing and reducing the risks of heart disease. Heart healthy foods include plenty of fresh vegetables, fruit, lean proteins, and healthy fats like olive oil. Combining a good diet with regular exercise is the best way to manage weight successfully boosting cardio fitness while performing exercises you enjoy the most such as swimming, cycling, walking, elliptical training, and yoga to help reduce stress.
Exercise is a common way to relieve stress motivating adults in the US to work out regularly promotes physical and emotional energy. Walking once per day actually performing moderate aerobic activities challenges your body increasing your heart rate. Walking gets your heart to beat faster, conditioning the cardiovascular system to move more oxygen and blood throughout the body while increasing lung capacity reduces stress and anxiety helping active people relax and develop heart healthy habits as a necessity for living well.
Cheers!
Patricia Lynn
Photo by Amy Shamblen on Unsplash
