Medicine has always supported the idea that exercise and a good diet are the foundations for a healthy life, these aspects combined with a healthy lifestyle can help prevent heart problems.
Cardiovascular diseases have positioned themselves as the first cause of mortality in the worldespecially in western societies. However, they are conditions that can be avoided. The American Heart Association, for example, recommends that older people get at least 1.5 hours of physical activity a day.
In addition, the association refers to some essential exercises to keep this organ as important as it is, the heart, in optimal conditions; They call these activities “healthy strategies”. It also suggests a balanced diet, control the intake of sugar, tobacco and alcohol.
Benefits of having an exercise routine
There are many reasons why it is important to have a training plan that adapts to our lifestyle and allows us to be healthy. For the director of the Pritikin Longevity Center in Miami, Danine Fruge, regular exercise improves muscle and joint capacityIn addition, during this type of physical activity, the brain and the blood pumped by the heart are oxygenated.
Cardio exercises, for example, reduce blood pressure and heart rate. that is, the heart will not have to make a great effort to maintain a normal rhythm that is between 60 to 100 beats per minute, according to the American Heart Association.
Another extremely important benefit of maintaining an exercise routine is that it reduces stress levels. In a society as hectic as the one we live in, hormones such as cortisol skyrocket, bringing fatal consequences for health. In addition Regular exercise reduces blood sugar, body fat and produces well-being since happiness hormones are activated: serotonin, endorphin and dopamine.
4 exercises to have a healthy heart:
There is no exercise that is more beneficial than another, all activities that require physical effort add up to improving and sustaining heart health over time. For Dr. Fruge, “the best training is the one you enjoy.”
- Walk
It is one of the most flattering exercises for the cardiovascular system, it is a low-impact training therefore, the elderly will be able to do it without inconvenience, no instrument is required to do it. Experts say that 5 to 7 minutes of walking every day reduces the risk of heart disease.
- HIIT training
High intensity interval training They are exercises designed to alternate effort and recovery at the same time and are very good for the heart. When these workouts are performed, the body produces an enzyme called lipoprotein lipase, which, according to Dr. Fruge, reduces cholesterol and regulates blood sugar, since insulin sensitivity rises, overweight people can significantly reduce sizes.
- Yoga
Although many people at first doubt the great benefits of yoga, after they practice it they realize that it is very beneficial for health, this type of exercise significantly reduces the stress hormone.
In a study recently published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology on “the impact of yoga on cardiovascular risk as an adjunct to a regular exercise regimen in patients with hypertension,” it was shown that the practice of yoga reduces blood pressure.
- strength exercises
The toning and strengthening of the muscles, through weight lifting also favors the cardiovascular system. The American Heart Association recommends that this type of activity be done at least two days a week..
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