Exercise: The Key to a Strong and Healthy Heart

The heart is a muscle. It keeps us alive. In a healthy human, it pumps blood throughout the body 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Without the heart, we would be unable to provide oxygen to the organs in our body. Our organs would begin to fail and so our body would not be able to function. When our body ceases to function, we die.

To live a long, healthy life, we need to take care of our heart. There are many interventions that we can utilize to improve our heart health. Monitoring your diet, limiting alcohol consumption, practicing mindfulness and engaging in physical activity are just some of the ways that we can maintain a healthy heart. In this article, we will focus on the importance of regular exercise for a healthy heart.

According to John Hopkins, there are three types of exercise that are beneficial: Aerobic Exercise, Resistance Training, and Stretching, Flexibility and Balance. Aerobic exercise gets your blood pumping through your body and strengthens the heart muscle. Some examples are walking, running, and swimming. Resistance training also known as strength training can involve using weights or doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups to burn fat and build muscle. Finally, being flexible and stretching allows you to strengthen your bones and joints. This ensures that you have enough mobility to perform exercises to help keep your heart healthy.

These three types of physical exercises are very beneficial for your cardiovascular health. They can help strengthen your heart, reduce the risk of developing heart disease, and even improve your mental health.

So, if you don’t feel that you are physically active, get up and stretch for 5 minutes, or go for a quick run. If you are already active, keep going!

Just a reminder, that this is not medical advice. Always consult your doctor.