Exercise your way to a healthy heart

For a healthy heart, all you need is some sort of moderate activity or exercise for half an hour for five days a week

World Heart Day is a way to remind ourselves to take care of your heart and make sure it stays healthy and strong. While nutrition and what we eat goes a long way in our Mission Heart, you just can’t afford to keep exercising on the backburner. Ask any health freak or expert and she will tell you the secret – the secret to a healthy life and body is a healthy heart. After all, the heart too is a muscle, and the stronger and healthier it is, the better it will work. Exercising not only makes you lose weight and help you skin glow. One of the biggest benefits of exercising is that it lowers the resting heart rate. In other words, your cardiac muscles improve, and become more efficient with the pumping. A lower heart rate means your ticker is working, but is not straining yourself. Exercising lowers your heart rate just enough to make it healthier – say one or a couple of beats less per minute.

Fitness experts say it is best to have a mix of cardio and strength training. Cardio exercises tone your body, improve your circulation and burn calories. As the name suggests, this exercise concentrates on the cardiovascular system of your body. Running, jogging, swimming, biking, dancing and new-age forms such as Zumba are a form of cardio exercises. Strength training, on the other hand, helps increase your metabolic rate, and improve your muscle mass and muscle tone. Stretching exercises are extremely important, too, and ensure that your body becomes flexible and relaxed after cardio and strength training.

For a healthy heart, all you need is some sort of moderate activity or exercise for half an hour for five days in a week. Thus, you can choose to walk at the park nearby, swim at the local club or opt for a gym membership. Do what suits you best, but be diligent in your exercise routine. Making exercising a part of your daily routine – at least on the weekdays – reduces the risk of chronic heart diseases significantly, also improves your strength, endurance and flexibility.

Aerobic exercises challenge your heart to work harder and make it stronger during the exercise and help your body to use oxygen in a more efficient way. The clue you are doing it right – you will not pant and grab for the nearest railing just weeks after your first commitment to cardio exercises.

Let’s discuss five excellent forms of cardio exercises that promise to make your heart healthier.

1. Swimming: You don’t mind the sweat here. Apart from that, a few laps in the pool tone each muscle of your body and improve your heart rate. Have joint pain and joint problems that will only aggravate due to running or walking – swimming is the best alternative.

2. Brisk walking: Experts say our bodies were made to walk. Walking it the perfect exercise, no matter where you do it. Choose the walking track in your park or get on to a treadmill. Just make sure your shoes are comfortable.

3. Running: This is a winner, but only if you do it right and in the right intensity. Trying to run half-marathon within a week of starting running is a strict no-no. It is the perfect way to burn calories and reduce the risk of heart disease.

4. Cycling: A low-impact exercise, cycling makes your heart pump like few other exercises do. It also builds strength and tones your lower body.

5. Circuit training: Circuit or strength training tones your muscles – your heart is one, remember – increases endurance and heart health. The best way to do it is to mix it with cardio.