How to protect the heart with physical activity
Physical activity is a real boon to heart health. Here's what to do to make the most of the benefits of this preventive weapon. Physical activity is an effective and inexpensive tool for preventing diseases that can affect the heart and arteries. This is proven by years of research that leaves no doubt that exercise induces structural changes in the heart muscle, helping to protect it from damage from ischemia, and more. Physical activity helps reshape blood vessels, improves cardiorespiratory health and muscle strength (two factors associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular events), and exerts a positive effect on metabolism.
Both aerobic exercise--that which involves oxygen consumption, such as running, swimming and cycling--and strength exercise--more focused on increasing muscle mass, such as weightlifting--have a favorable effect on cardiovascular risk factors even in those at higher risk of finding themselves struggling with heart and blood vessel problems, such as those living with type 2 diabetes or those with high cholesterol or triglycerides. Here's how to practice physical activity in a way that benefits the heart.
The recommendations for healthy hearts
The general advice for improving your heart health and preventing cardiovascular disease is to ensure that you get at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity every week. More specifically, at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity is recommended at least 5 days a week. Alternatively, you can engage in 25 minutes of intense aerobic physical activity at least 3 times a week, for a total of at least 75 minutes of physical activity every 7 days.
This aerobic-type activity should be combined with targeted exercise to strengthen the muscles, which should be practiced at a moderate to high intensity at least 2 days a week. From a practical point of view, practicing aerobic-type physical activity means doing simple exercises such as walking, running, cycling, stair climbing, or swimming. Team sports can also be fine, but enrolling in classes or gyms is not mandatory: even a walk in the park, if at a brisk pace, will help you reach your weekly goal.
Specific advice for those taking more risks
When, however, some cardiovascular risk factors are already present, these recommendations might change slightly. Those who, for example, need to lower their blood cholesterol levels should do at least 40 minutes of moderate-high intensity aerobic exercise 3 or 4 days out of 7, so that they burn at least 900 Kcal per week through physical activity. Adding some strength exercise can help raise HDL (High Density Lipoproteins, the so-called "good cholesterol").
The American Heart Association recommends at least 40 minutes of moderate-high intensity aerobic physical activity for 3-4 days a week even in cases of high blood pressure. The European Society of Cardiology, on the other hand, recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity for 5 days a week, and in case of low cardiovascular risk suggests switching to intense activity. The best way to know which is best for you is to consult with your doctor. In cases of obesity, physical activity should be combined with an adequate diet that can promote weight loss.
To maximize the energy burned by physical activity, moderate-intense exercise is recommended 3-5 days per week. Combining this activity with some strength exercise helps to increase basal metabolism and improve HDL concentrations. Finally, those living with type 2 diabetes should also keep active by walking for at least 30 minutes 5 days a week, but they should also do some extra physical activity appropriately agreed with their doctor.
Sources: American Heart Association. American Heart Association Recommendations for Physical Activity in Adults. https://goo.gl/ZXvct4. 04/06/18 ESC - European Society of Cardiology. Physical exercise - How to prescribe exercise for optimal cardiovascular risk factor control. https://goo.gl/zwEipd. 04/06/18 Tikkanen E et al. Associations of Fitness, Physical Activity, Strength, and Genetic Risk With Cardiovascular Disease: Longitudinal Analyses in the UK Biobank Study. Circulation. 2018 Apr 9. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.117.032432 Image: Pixabay
