How much exercise should I get every day to stay heart healthy?
Well, we are half way through American Heart Month! But it is important to keep the discussion about heart health going because heart disease is the leading cause of death among men and women in the United States.
We've previously discussed how eating a heart healthy diet is a great way to reduce your risk of heart disease (though if you smoke, quitting smoking today is the best way!), getting the right amount of exercise on a regular basis can help immensely.
The recommended amount of exercise to stay heart healthy is at least 30 minutes times per week. Not too bad, right?
This can easily be achieved in a number of ways you may not have even thought about! You can get in your daily exercise with typical household activities such as gardening, heavy housework, raking leaves, snow shoveling and lawn mowing.
You can also fit in your 30 minutes with activities you enjoy like brisk walking, bowling, dancing or bicycling. Check out this article for more ideas on exercise activities for aging adults!
Controlling your body mass index (BMI) is another key to preventing heart disease that is benefited by exercise. A BMI great than or equal to 25 increases your risk of heart disease. Not sure what you BMI is? Read these instructions on how to find it and what it means.
Before you begin any new exercise regimen, though, consult with your doctor on what types of exercise activities would be appropriate for you. They can also help determine your risk for heart disease and what other steps you may need to take to get heart healthy.
When you visit with your doctor about your heart health and risk for heart disease, be sure to ask the following questions:
What is my risk for heart disease?
Where is my blood pressure at?
Where is my cholesterol at?
What is my BMI?
Where is my blood sugar at and does that put me at risk for diabetes?
What kind of heart healthy eating plan should I follow?
What kind of heart healthy exercise plan should I participate in?
If you live in the Southwest Oklahoma area, there are several heart screenings going on during February 2018 at discounted rates! You may want to check them out.
Find more info regarding Jackson County Memorial Hospital in Altus (click here), Great Plains Regional Medical Center in Elk City (click here), and Cordell Memorial Hospital in Cordell (click here).
If someone you know has been recently hospitalized or is planning a surgery due to a heart disease related cause, our agency may be able to help. We offer a variety of services from skilled nursing to occupational therapy to help people recover in the comfort of their own home.
Let's beat heart disease this February! For more resources on heart disease, visit the American Heart Association or the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute.
Sunshine Home Care provides home health in Altus, OK and most of Western Oklahoma. For more information on our agency, visit here or contact us today.
Source: NIA
