How Is Exercise Good for Your Heart?
February is heart health month! Dr. Payal Kohli says exercise is nature’s best medicine for our hearts. Here’s why.
How Exercise Helps Your Heart
Exercise is good for your entire body. But here’s what exercising does specifically for your heart:
- Improves circulation
- Reduces your risk of heart attack or stroke
- Reduces your chance of having high blood pressure and high cholesterol
- It helps your blood flow more efficiently
- Changes your resting heart rate
Now, you might be wondering, “how much exercise do I need to get these benefits?” The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes a week of moderate cardiovascular exercise. This means it needs to be an exercise that increases your heart rate. They also suggest you pair weight training with cardio exercise. So maybe run some days and do Pilates on other days.
Fitting in Exercise
If you’re one of those super busy people thinking you don’t have time in the week for that much exercise, Dr. Kohli says that even just working out a little bit can add years to your life.
And if you’re a busy mom, exercising with your kids is a great way to get it in. That doesn’t mean they have to watch you sit on a spin bike but instead go for walks or hikes with your kids. Play outdoor games with them like soccer or tag. It’s a great way to get some exercise, have quality family time, and raise your kids with the idea that exercise is essential and fun!
365 Health is a 501c-3 community non-profit and their mission is to raise health awareness and provide people with the tools they need to take responsibility for their health, through affordable preventive health screenings, evidence-based health education and eTools. Learn more: www.9health365.org.