3 Exercises for Better Heart Health

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. You can do many things to help decrease your likelihood of heart disease. These include:

• Prioritizing a healthy diet
• Reducing stress
• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Avoiding smoking and alcohol
• Maintaining healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels

Many of these require lifestyle changes. One thing that can help is exercise. Aerobic activity, or activity that gets your heart rate elevated, can help improve your overall heart health. Exercise can reduce stress and burn calories, leading to improved weight, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Adults are recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. The following are exercises that can be used to improve your overall heart health and reduce your risk for heart disease:

Walking

This is a good way to increase cardiac output and endurance. It’s important to understand that you aren’t just looking at step count on your Fitbit or Apple watch. Everyone seems determined to get 10,000 steps a day, which can be good for endurance, but you also want an elevated heart rate during activity.

Swimming

Hitting the water can be a great option for people with difficulty walking. Being in the pool helps reduce pressure on the joints, making it a great, low-impact option to get moving. If swimming is challenging, walking in the pool is another great option for seeking a less strenuous starting point.

Weight Training

Weight training helps to build muscle mass and reduce body fat. Weight training can be done with body weight or actual weights. This can help with weight loss and reduction in cholesterol and blood pressure. Weight training can also improve bone density and improve heart health.

Physical Therapy Can Help

If you have more questions about safely performing these exercises or need assistance managing your pain, contact your local Athletico Physical Therapy clinic and schedule a free assessment. Free assessments are available in-clinic and virtually through our telehealth platform.

Schedule a Free Assessment

*Per federal guidelines, beneficiaries of plans such as Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare, VHA and other federally funded plans are not eligible for free assessments.

The Athletico blog is an educational resource written by Athletico employees. Athletico bloggers are licensed professionals who abide by the code of ethics outlined by their respective professional associations. The content published in blog posts represents the opinion of the individual author based on their expertise and experience. The content provided in this blog is for informational purposes only, does not constitute medical advice and should not be relied on for making personal health decisions.

References:
https://health.gov/myhealthfinder/health-conditions/heart-health/keep-your-heart-healthy