Kara Steele, Health Coach

Nearly 1.5 million Americans have heart attacks each year, and one-third or 500,000 people die. Women are affected nearly as often as men. The cause is Coronary Heart Disease (CHD).  CHD is a condition in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside coronary arteries, reducing blood flow.

            Heart disease is the number one cause of death in the world.  The American Heart Association lists five major risk factors for developing cardiovascular disease:

1.    Sedentary lifestyle

2.    High blood pressure

3.    Abnormal blood lipid levels

4.     Smoking

5.    Obesity

Reducing these risks can greatly decrease your chances of having a heart attack or stroke.

The heart is a muscle, and needs regular exercise in order to work efficiently. Moderate to vigorous physical activity strengthens heart muscle, and improves its ability to pump blood throughout the body. Other benefits of regular exercise on cardiovascular risk factors include:

1.    Increased muscular function

2.    Improved aerobic capacity

3.    Decreased body weight

4.    Lower blood pressure

5.    Increase in HDL (good cholesterol)

6.    Decrease in LDL (bad cholesterol) and total cholesterol

7.    Improved ability to use insulin

8.    Increased life span

The effect of continued, moderate exercise on overall cardiovascular risk can be dramatic when combined with proper nutrition, smoking cessation, stress reduction and medication, when appropriate. Individuals who are more active tend to develop CHD less frequently than those who are sedentary.  For fit and active individuals who do get CHD, it occurs later in life, and is often less severe.

According to the World Health Organization, 60% of the global population is not active enough. The Centers for Disease Control along with the American College of Sports Medicine have developed guidelines for physical activity. They recommend that individuals get at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity most days of the week. Moderate intensity is similar to brisk walking (3-4 mph) and includes activities such as swimming, bicycling, yard work and doing household chores.  Studies have shown that the activity can be broken down into smaller segments without decreasing the benefit. Thirty minutes of moderate daily activity is equivalent to 600-1200 calories of energy expended.

Exercise is a key component in preventing disease and promoting good health.  It’s never too late to start exercising, however if you are over 45 or have two or more risk factors consult your physician.  The first step in starting an exercise program is to determine your current fitness level. This will give you standards by which you can measure your progress.  Examples include BMI, waist circumference, resting heart rate, time it takes to walk a mile, etc.   Design a program that fits with your goals, is appropriate for your fitness level, includes a variety of activities and allows time for rest and recovery. Start slowly and gradually increase your intensity and duration of exercise. Make sure you listen to your body, and give yourself time off if needed. Finally, monitor your progress on a regular basis to determine if you need to make any changes in order to meet your fitness goals.