Exercise
Your heart and exercise
Regular physical activity or exercise is one of the best ways of lowering the risk of heart disease. People who are regularly active (or who do more than 30 or more minutes of moderate physical activity on most, if not all, days) can reduce their risk of heart disease.
"Moderately" intense physical activity is the best way to help you reduce your cardiovascular risks. The easiest way to know if you are exercising at a moderate level is to determine whether or not you can carry on a normal conversation while you are exerting yourself. If you are out of breath carrying on a normal conversation, you are exercising too hard!
When it comes to incorporating more exercise in your routine, remember:
- Exercise doesn't have to mean hitting the gym, or the pavement. There are plenty of ways to integrate exercise into your daily routine – such as raking the leaves, moving the lawn, taking the stairs rather than the lift.
- Incorporate exercise into your daily routine. Start getting up earlier, or make a regular commitment to exercise with a colleague or friend at lunchtime.
- Mix and match activities so that you always have a variety in your physical activity program to fight boredom.
- Don't feel guilty if you miss a day. Just make sure you go the next day!
Of course, you should always talk to your doctor before starting any physical activity program.
If you experience any symptoms, such as chest discomfort during a walk, make sure you slow down or stop and discuss the symptoms at the earliest possible time with your doctor. Don't leave your common sense at home!
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