The American Heart Association has dedicated February as American Heart Month to increase awareness that heart health is a priority.Did you know that an estimated 82.6 million Americans have one or more types of cardiovascular disease? Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the US. Now is the perfect time to start educating yourself on the risks, and how best to get a strong healthy heart.
Give Your Heart a Workout
By Ginny Graves
If you?ve found the exercise-an-hour-per-day ideal a little daunting (or downright undoable), scientists have some very good news: While any activity is good for your ticker, new research shows that you can maximize its heart-attack-proofing benefits?and spend less time at the gym?by making three simple changes to your sweat schedule. Here?s how to get started. (Search: Heart attack prevention tips)
And while you?re at it, don?t fall for these workout myths that mess with results.
Recharge Your Cardio
Recent studies have found that interval training (alternating between high-and moderate-intensity bursts of activity) can double and possibly even triple the heart-protecting benefits you?d get from moderate cardio sessions?even when you exercise for less time. ?Short cardio bursts make your heart work harder and pump more blood with each beat, which strengthens your entire cardiovascular system,? says David Swain, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Old Dominion University.
High-intensity cardio also prompts your muscles to develop more mitochondria, tiny energy-making units within cells that use sugar and fat for fuel. The more mitochondria you have, the better your muscles become at utilizing carbohydrates, improving the body?s insulin sensitivity. The result: Less sugar floats around in your blood, and this lowers the risk of type 2 diabetes, a major precursor to heart disease. (Related: Treat diabetes without drugs) High-intensity exercise may also give you a greater reduction in blood pressure. When you pick up the pace, artery walls produce nitric oxide, which boosts their ability to dilate so blood flows more easily.
Intimidated? Consider this: Norwegian researchers looked at two groups of patients who were suffering from chronic heart failure. Three times a week, one group walked at a moderate pace, while the other group did high-intensity bursts of walking. The interval-training group increased their VO2 max, a key indicator of cardiovascular function, by a whopping 46%?triple the increase seen in the slower walkers.
Walk Off Weight with Fat-Blasting Intervals
The best part: ?You gauge the intensity based on your own fitness level,? says Sharonne N. Hayes, MD, a cardiologist and founder of the Women?s Heart Clinic at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. That might be a brisk walk for you, while it could be a fast jog for someone else.
3 times per week. Alternate between 1 to 2 minutes at 85% of your maximum heart rate and 2 to 3 minutes at 65% of MHR; work up to 30-to 60-second intervals at 95% of MHR.
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Source: http://americasfitnesscoach.com/2012/02/07/february-is-heart-healthy-month/
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