Recipe for healthy heart and blood vessels
Heart and blood vessel diseases are one of the elemental health problems of the modern consumerist society. Do we know how to reduce disease risk or to mitigate it? Yes, with elimination of risk factors through proper diet, giving up smoking and intensifying our physical activity.
Regular physical exercises result in:
- reduction of systolic and diastolic blood pressure
- slowing down heart beat
- good effect on cholesterol level (reduction of LDL cholesterol and increase of HDL cholesterol)
- excess weight loss and maintenance of proper body mass
- increases tissue susceptibility to insulin, so that a diabetes may reduce doses or discontinue taking drugs
- improves competence of a heart, lungs, muscles and blood circulation
- has good effect on our fitness, reduces depression, makes stress- resistant.
In order to benefit from the positive effect of physical activity we do not need to break any sport records. It is enough if exercises:
- give us pleasure
- are regular (3-7 days a week)
- last for 15-30 minutes
- were performed with optimum intensity (our pulse should not exceed 60-80% of the maximum the maximum cardiac activity of our heart measured according to the following formulae:
- maximum cardiac activity = 220 - age [in years],
- so a person who is 50 years old should stop exercising when her/ his heartbeat reaches 120 beats per minute).
Don't forget about short, 10-15 minutes warm-up prior to exercises and to end exercises in a gentle way. As your fitness improves, you may gradually increase the length and intensity of exercises.
All forms of recreation are recommended, especially walks, fast marches, swimming, bicycle riding, tennis, ball games, skiing.
Selection of the type of sport and its optimum intensity requires doctor's assistance in case of patients suffering from:
- cardio-vascular diseases (i.e. heart attack, coronary heart disease, blood hypertension, cardiac procedures)
- diabetes
- obesity
- sedimentary life style.
If, during the exercises any of the following symptoms occur, stop exercises immediately and contact your doctor:
- chest pains,
- shortness of breath
- rhythm disorders
- dizziness
- collapse.
Remember, that physical activity means any kind of activity. To increase it, it's enough to change our habits, i.e. replace traveling by car with walking, using lift with using stairs, lying on the beach with swimming and playing ball, watch football matches riding a stationary bicycle, take more and longer walks with your children, your dog, etc
Physical activity is a simple way of extending one's life and good disposition. PHYSICAL ACTIVITY is the best recipe for healthy heart and blood vessels.
dr Hanna Kalotka-Kręglewska
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Recipe for healthy heart and blood vessels
