Perhaps busier than the busiest executive is the heart.
Contracting 100,000 times a day and pumping 5 to 6 litres of blood each minute,
It is undoubtedly the most important organ in the body. What is more, it pumps 20 times the normal volume when you exercise.

The heart is a muscular organ located in the chest, or thoracic cavity, diagonally behind the chest or breastbone. Shaped and sized similar to that of a clenched fist, this small organ performs tremendous work to maintain life process.

Why exercise?
You could ask, why work the heart when it’s already working so hard?
The heart like any other muscle works better and more efficiently when it is in shape. And there’s no better way to keep it in shape than regular exercise.

As you exercise, your heart rate (the number of times your heart beats per minute) increases and more blood is pumped to muscles all over the body.

With regular exercise, the heart muscles enlarge and you will require less effort for doing ordinary things like walking up a flight of stairs or running for the bus.

Cardiovascular exercise can reduce high blood pressure by 10-20 mmHg, and may also reduce the risk of hypertensive medications.

Regular exercise can lower serum cholesterol, which is directly related to the risk of heart disease and stroke.

What is cardiovascular exercise?
Cardiovascular or aerobic exercises target the large muscles of the body and create an increased demand for oxygen. These exercises improve the heart, circulatory and pulmonary system. Examples are walking, cycling, jogging, running, hiking, swimming, stair climbing, in-line skating, dancing.

Recommended duration is between 20 to 60 minutes of continuous activity at an intensity of 55% to 90% of maximum heart rate, 5 to 6 days a week.

Isn’t regular activity enough?
You may think that the daily grind at your workplace or home would suffice for your exercise needs. But that’s far from true. Regular aerobic exercises when performed adequately condition the heart and lungs.

You don’t need to train like a marathon runner to become physically active; just incorporate an exercise regime you are comfortable with in your daily routine. In the beginning you could start with 30 minutes of exercise, 3 to 5 times a week.

How does exercise strengthen the heart?
The heart is a muscle and just like other muscle, it works better and more efficiently when it is in shape. Exercise makes the heart stronger, helping it to pump more blood with each heartbeat. A well-conditioned heart can pump a large amount of blood with fewer heartbeats than a weak heart. During exercise blood is pumped at a much faster rate – as much as 20 times the normal volume of blood.

What is the best type of exercise for the heart?
Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming, running and bicycling are ideal exercises for improving functioning of the heart. They make the heart work harder to pump blood and therefore more oxygen is delivered to the body’s cells. A minimum of 30 minutes of exercise 5 times a week is essential.

How can exercise prevent heart disease?
Physical inactivity is a major cause of heart disease. Exercise can reduce excess body weight, reduce total cholesterol levels, increase the good (HDL) cholesterol, high blood pressure and also control diabetes.

Exercise myths
Myth 1: Exercise is tiring
Fact: Far from tiring you, exercise can reduce the fatigue and stress levels in your body making you feel energized after your workout.

Myth 2: All exercises give you the same benefits
Fact: Different exercises give different benefits. Regular aerobic exercises will improve the efficiency of the heart and burn calories, resistance-training exercises will improve your body’s strength, and flexibility exercises will increase overall suppleness.

Myth 3: The older you are, the less exercise you will need.
Fact: Age is no barrier. Exercise is for all. You could ask a fitness professional to devise an exercise regimen based on your goals, preferences and medical condition.

Did you know during exercise…

• The oxygen extraction from the blood at the capillary level increases from 25% at rest to 85% during exercise.
• The respiration rate increases – resulting in an increase in minute ventilation from 6-litres per minute to 100- litres or more with exercise.
• The stroke volume increases – resulting in 50% to 60% more blood pumped per heartbeat.

Danger signs
Watch out for these factors that increase chances of heart ailments.
• Smoking
• Obesity
• Stress
• Diabetes
• High Cholesterol
• High blood pressure
• Sedentary lifestyle

Your heart protection exercise regimen:
Work out an exercise plan for your heart.
Try to get enough cardio activity to burn approximately 900 to 1200 calories a week.

Pick from these options.
Here is a rough calorie guide for you:

Simply walk: Just put on your walking shoes and walk anywhere, anytime, as convenient.
Calories burned: 300 an hour.

Walk uphill: This increases walking intensity and shapes the legs and hips.
Calories burned: 400 an hour.

Swim: Challenge your muscles in water.
A safe, low-impact exercise that works the whole body.
Calories burned: 400 an hour.

Cycle: Outdoor cycling is a great exercise for toning the lower body.
Calories burned: 350 an hour.

Play tennis/ squash/ Badminton:
Calories burned: 400 an hour.

Skip/speed jog (interval): Burn more calories in 25 minutes by interval training.
Skip for 2 minutes. Jog (fast jog) for 3 minutes. Repeat for 25 minutes.
Calories burned: 300 in 25 minutes.

Jog on a trampoline: Bounce on a trampoline.
Calories burned: 300 an hour.

Run: Pick up pace, feel the power in movement. A great exercise high!
Calories burned: 400 an hour.

Punch and kick: Buy a punching bag or speed bag and gloves. Punch using arms and kick using legs.
Calories burned: 400 an hour.

A word of caution
When starting out, always begin at a level that is right for your current fitness condition and progress gradually. Always check with your physician for specific guidelines based on your medical history and current health status before starting any form of physical exercise.

Find ways to de-stress
Stress, anxiety, tension can increase blood pressure and stress the heart.
Stress creates tension in the body, the breathing becomes shallow, resulting in headaches and extreme fatigue.

Ways to de-stress

• Meditation
• Yoga
• Breathing exercises
• Stretching exercises
• Massage
• Restful sleep

A sound nutrition plan – the key to good health
Consume a well balanced diet has a high intake of fruits, vegetables, whole grain cereals and sprouts. Nutrition is very important and a healthy well-balanced diet should include carbohydrates, proteins, fats and plenty of water.

A healthy diet should include –

• Decreased fat consumption
• Portion control
• Palatable food choices
• High fibre
• Adequate nutrition

You don’t need a new year for a resolution to keep healthy.
Make your resolution right now and do it for your heart’s sake.

Tags: cardiovascular exercise, exercise for the heart, exercise myths, healthy heart, heart protection exercise, type of heart exercises







This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 14th, 2009 at 10:32 am and is filed under Health Update. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.