Exercise for a Healthy Heart

Exercise for a Healthy Heart

Anna Delany



Put your hand on your heart. Go on. Don't worry – we won't ask you to promise anything or recite the Pledge of Allegiance! Just put your hand over your heart and press gently until you can feel it beating. Got it? Good, now think about this. That thumping you feel in your chest is keeping you alive; breathing, moving, blinking, reading this sentence. Day in day out, your heart keeps pumping. It never rests, it never sleeps, it never takes a holiday.
Sound like a tough job? It is. Which is why you need to keep your heart as strong and healthy as possible. Exercise is one of the best ways to achieve this.
But how do you exercise in a way that will benefit your heart? Read here to find out.






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Why is exercise good for the heart?


Your heart is a muscle

Your heart is a muscle, and like all muscles it becomes stronger as a result of exercise. A stronger heart can pump more blood through your body with less strain than a weaker one. Imagine lifting a heavy box; if you have strong arm and back muscles, the box is easier to lift and your body doesn't strain as much, right? Well, it's the same with your heart. A strong heart pumps blood around your body more effectively than a weak one. The blood then also delivers more oxygen to your body, which helps it function more efficiently.
Exercise can also lower blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force created by your heart as it pushes blood into the arteries and around your body - kind of like the pressure in a hose as water goes through it. High blood pressure (also called hypertension) occurs when there is resistance to blood flow causing it to move through your arteries at a higher pressure than normal. This means your heart has to pump harder to get the blood around. Exercise can reduce this pressure by aiding blood flow. *
Studies have also shown that exercise increases the amount of HDL cholesterol (the good kind of cholesterol) in your blood, while reducing the amount of LDL cholesterol (the bad, artery-clogging kind of cholesterol). Healthier cholesterol levels mean a healthier heart.


What sort of exercise is best?


Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart

To return to the box-lifting scenario; building up the muscles in your arms and back typically involves "strength-building" exercises such as weight lifting. But it's different with your heart. Although your heart is also a muscle, it relies on aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise to grow stronger. Aerobic exercise basically means any exercise that works up a sweat and makes your heart beat faster. (And, no, watching scary movies doesn't count!). Examples of aerobic exercise include walking, jogging, running, swimming and bicycling.
To maximize the heart-health benefits of aerobic exercise, you need to work out most days of the week for 30-60 minutes within your target heart rate. (More about this below).*
Of course, any type of exercise is beneficial for your health, but it is the aerobic exercise that strengthens your heart most effectively.


How much exercise is helpful?


A fast-paced basketball game is great aerobic exercise

People who exercise most often and vigorously have the lowest risk for heart disease. However, any amount of exercise is better than none!*Studies show that people who achieve even a moderate level of fitness are less likely to die early than people who have a low level of fitness.*
In general, if you haven't been exercising, try to work up to exercsing 30 minutes, 4-6 times a week. Start slow, with ten minutes a day and gradually increase the time you exercise. If you can't carry on a conversation while you exercise, you may be overdoing it.
If you want to attain a high level of aerobic fitness, you need to gradually work up to exercising on most days of the week for 30-60 minutes at 50-85 percent of your maximum capacity, i.e. your target heart rate.
It's best to talk with your doctor before starting any exercise program. Your doctor may make a different recommendation based on your health.


Hitting your target heart rate


Take your pulse while exercising to find out if you within your target heart rate

Your target heart rate is the safest and most effective pace for your heart to be beating during exercise. For optimal heart-health benefits, you need to exercise aerobically within this target.
Your target heart rate is based on your maximum heart rate capacity (MHR) and your resting heart rate. MHR is basically determined by subtracting your age from the number 220. Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute while you are at rest. Your target heart rate is set at 50-85 percent of your MHR. To calculate your target heart rate, click on the link at the end of this article.
But how do you know what heart rate you are exercising at? The simplest way is to take your pulse a few times during your workout. Just measure the beats over 15 seconds and then multiply by four to get beats-per-minute. Heart-rate monitors can also be a helpful tool for measuring your heart rate while working out.


Exercise precautions for people with heart disease

If you have heart disease it is particularly important to seek medical advice before beginning a workout program. Keep these tips in mind if you have an existing heart condition.

• Ask your doctor if you can participate in these activities: weightlifting, weight machines, jogging or swimming.
• Avoid push-ups, sit-ups and isometric exercises. Isometric exercises involve straining muscles against other muscles or an immovable object.

• Avoid extremely hot and cold showers or sauna baths after exercise.
• Do not go up steep hills during your activity, whenever possible. If you must walk on a hilly area, slow your walking pace when going uphill to avoid working too hard. Watch your heart rate closely and change the activity as needed.
• Reduce your activity level if your exercise program has been interrupted for a few days (for example, due to illness, vacation or bad weather). Then, gradually increase to your regular activity level.
• Do not exercise if you are not feeling well, or have a fever. Wait a few days after all symptoms disappear before starting your exercise program, unless your doctor gives you other directions.
• If you develop a rapid or irregular heartbeat or have heart palpitations, rest. Check your pulse after you rest for 15 minutes. If your pulse is still above 120-150 beats per minute, call your doctor for further instructions.
• Do not ignore pain. If you have chest pain or pain anywhere else in your body, do not continue the activity. Learn to "read" your body and know when you need to stop an activity.
• Stop exercising and rest if you have any of the following symptoms:
  
  - Chest pain
  - Weakness
  - Dizziness or lightheadedness
  - Unexplained weight gain or swelling (call your doctor right away)
  - Pressure or pain in your chest, neck, arm, jaw or shoulder
  - Any other symptoms that cause concern.
  
  Call your doctor if these symptoms do not go away.