Not Just Cardio: 6 Activities That Boost Heart Health
A healthy cardiovascular system is
extremely important and beneficial for our overall well-being. As you
probably know, being physically active is a major step towards good
heart health. By maintaining an active lifestyle, you're not just
strengthening your heart, you're also keeping blood pressure and
cholesterol levels down, reducing insulin resistance, and strengthening
the immune system - all of which are vital for increasing longevity.
Aerobic exercise and resistance training are known to contribute to
heart health. The American Heart Association’s minimum recommendation
for adults is 150 minutes (2.5 hours) of moderate-intensity aerobic
activity or 75 minutes (one hour and fifteen minutes) of vigorous
aerobic activity per week.
But what if you just don’t have the time to
participate in a cardio fitness class? Or maybe, you're struggling to
keep up with an exercise regimen of running or cycling. Don’t be
discouraged. Achieving this weekly goal is possible through other means,
here's how
“Basically, what research has shown is any
activity that can increase the heart rate to be in that kind of
moderate-intensity zone is going to be considered enough aerobic
activity to help be protective of the heart,” said Jennifer Soo Hoo, an
assistant professor of clinical rehabilitation medicine at Weill Cornell
Medicine.
There are several effective ways to raise your heart rate for the
recommended amount of time, some of which you might not even think of as
exercise. Here are 6 such expert-recommended heart-healthy activities.
1. Brisk walks
A brisk walk at a pace of 3 to 4 miles per
hour is an excellent activity. Walking is both accessible and low
impact, meaning that it's easy on your joints. Compared to jogging, for
example, the likelihood of injury while walking is minimal.
You want to reach 50-70% or 70-85% of your maximum heart rate for
moderate or vigorous-intensity activities, respectively. You can
estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220.
There are numerous ways to measure whether or not your walking pace is
high enough to effectively target the cardiovascular system. You could
use a wearable device, such as a smartwatch, to record your pulse. Using
a device like that will help you tell how long your heart rate was in
that moderate-activity zone.
Keep in mind that there is no need to invest in a pricey device if you
don’t already own one. You can measure your pulse yourself by placing
your index and middle fingers on either the inside of your wrist or the
top of your foot. Count for 15 seconds and multiply the number of beats
you get by four.
In the end, your intuitive perception of how much you’re exerting
yourself is usually correct. Ask yourself, “Does this feel somewhat
hard? Did my breath quicken?” If you are trying to carry on a
conversation while walking, and you need a breath every five or six
words, that is consistent with a moderate-intensity activity.
To make brisk walks more fun, you can do them in pairs with a friend or
family member. If you have a dog, you can incorporate your exercise in
their morning or evening walks.
2. Household chores
Household chores like gardening, mopping
the floor, mowing the lawn, and the like, can be really effective at
raising your heart rate. These tasks definitely require some physical
exertion. If you do them quicker than usual and track your pulse, it can
absolutely count as a heart-healthy activity. And, of course, there is
the bonus of killing two birds with one stone and getting plenty of
housework done, too.
3. Strength-building exercises
According to the American Heart
Association, practicing a strength-building activity two days a week has
an ‘indirect’ effect on building heart health. Strength training
increases your muscle mass and improves bone density, both of which have
been linked to a decreased risk of cardiovascular events, such as
coronary artery disease, stroke, etc.
“In order to be able to do aerobic
activities for long periods of time, you need to be able to increase
your strength and flexibility,” Soo Hoo explained to the Huffington
Post. You can achieve this through yoga or pilates, both of which build
core strength and flexibility. Alternatively, you could opt for lifting
weights or using resistance bands.
4. Leisure time
Exercise doesn’t necessarily mean that you
must follow a strict regimen, and it certainly doesn’t have to feel like
a chore. There are many moments in life where you raise your heart
rate, and you might not even realize it, because you’re having so much
fun. We’re talking about the times you dance to a playlist of your
favorite tunes, run around with the kids or grandkids, or even play
fetch with your dog.
Take note of such activities that bring you joy and get you moving at
the same time. This will motivate you to do them more regularly.
5. Keeping your stress level in check
It is no secret that feeling stressed or
tired can be harmful to your physical health as well. Stress can make
your blood pressure spike. Therefore, it puts a strain on your heart and
circulatory system. Prolonged mental and emotional stress can cause
your resting heart rate to increase over time. If the “fight-or-flight"
mode becomes your norm and your resting heart rate rises, this will also
increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and other dangerous health
conditions.
Adopting healthy coping techniques like
mindfulness, meditation, deep breathing, or therapy can keep your
resting heart rate in check.
6. "Snack" exercises
The recommendation is 150/75 minutes per
week, but you don’t have to do it all at once. If taking three 45-minute
walks a week doesn't suit your schedule, it doesn’t mean that you have
to give up altogether. You can break it down in any way that is
convenient for you.
A recent study published in the journal Applied Physiology, Nutrition,
and Metabolism, found that short bouts of physical movement - like
briskly climbing stairs a few times a day - can effectively improve your
fitness level, as well as lower blood pressure and reduce blood sugar.
The concept of “exercise snacks” can be a helpful way to sneak in
fitness throughout the day without being overwhelmed.