Heart Disease: Walking for a Healthy Heart
Walking is a form of aerobic exercise
and is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity and improve
your health. Physical activity increases your
Reference heart rate Opens New Window, strengthens your heart, and increases
blood circulation through your body, bringing more oxygen and nutrients to your
organs. Exercise also increases your lungs' ability to take in oxygen, lowers
blood pressure, helps to reduce body fat, and improves blood sugar and
cholesterol levels.
- Have a checkup before beginning an exercise
program. If you have heart problems, your doctor may want to do tests to find
out how much activity your heart can safely handle.
- Start out
slowly at first, with a warm-up in the beginning, a faster pace in the middle,
and a cooldown at the end.
- To stay motivated, walk with friends,
coworkers, or pets. Set goals you can reach.
- Use a pedometer to
count your steps. Wear it all day and try to take at least 2,000 more steps a
day than you normally do, and gradually increase your steps over
time.
- Try to do at least 2½ hours of
Reference moderate exercise Opens New Window a week.Reference 1
One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day, at least 5 days a week.
Try to make a walk an essential part of your day. It's fine to walk for
10 minutes or more at a time throughout your day and week. Being active in
small blocks of time throughout your day can be just as good as walking for a
longer amount of time a few times a week. Accumulating activity throughout the
day helps burn calories and maintain your weight.
Small
activities such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator or parking far
away and walking to your destination can add up quickly to the minimum
recommendation of 2½ hours a week. Be creative. Instead of emailing or phoning
a coworker, get up and walk to his or her desk. If you need to meet with
someone, suggest taking a walk instead of staying inside.
To get
the heart-healthy benefits of walking, you need to walk briskly enough to
increase your pulse and breathing, but not so fast that you can't talk
comfortably.
Test Your Knowledge
-
It isn't necessary to walk a certain amount of time
each day. I can be active in blocks of time that work best for me throughout
the day and week.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Experts recommend at least 2½ hours a week of
moderate exercise, which is equal to brisk walking. But it isn't necessary to
do it all at once. It's fine to be active in several blocks of 10 minutes or
more at a time. For example, you could walk twice a week for at least 1 hour and
15 minutes at a time. Or you could walk 10 minutes 3 times a day, at least 5 days
a week.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Experts recommend at least 2½ hours a week of
moderate exercise, which is equal to brisk walking. But it isn't necessary to
do it all at once. It's fine to be active in several blocks of 10 minutes or
more at a time. For example, you could walk twice a week for at least 1 hour and
15 minutes at a time. Or you could walk 10 minutes 3 times a day, at least 5 days
a week.
Your heart is a
muscle with fibers that allow it to contract and pump blood. When used during
aerobic exercise, the heart becomes more efficient and pumps more blood with
each heartbeat. Exercise, such as walking, also increases your muscles' ability
to take oxygen from the blood. A more efficient heart can pump more blood with
each heartbeat and deliver more oxygen and nutrients to other organs.
Test Your Knowledge
-
Walking is a form of aerobic exercise that elevates
the heart rate and increases the efficiency of the heart.
-
True
This answer is correct.
Walking briskly increases your heart rate and
increases the efficiency of your heart. A more efficient heart can pump more
blood through your body, which circulates more blood and nutrients to other
organs.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
Walking briskly increases your heart rate and
increases the efficiency of your heart. A more efficient heart can pump more
blood through your body, which circulates more blood and nutrients to other
organs.
One
of the best ways to stay motivated to walk is to include other people. Ask
friends and coworkers to join you. Join a walking group or club.
- Buy a pedometer. Wear
it every day, and count your steps. The first time you wear it, count how many
steps you normally take in a day. Set a goal for increasing it each day or
week. Try to start with an increase of 2,000 steps a day and work toward
10,000. Get others to join you and set goals as a group.
- Walk
before or after work or on your lunch break. Instead of taking a snack or
coffee break, take a walk break.
- If the weather is bad, take
comfortable shoes to the mall and walk several laps inside.
- Walk to
work, school, the grocery store, or a restaurant.
- Walk around your
neighborhood, around an entire park, or to do errands.
- Schedule
walks on your business calendar. Turn a walk into a brainstorming session with
a coworker.
- Wear comfortable shoes and socks that cushion your
feet.
- Drink plenty of water. Take a bottle with you when you
walk.
- Be safe, and know your surroundings. Walk in a well-lighted,
safe place.
- Plan family outings around walks
together.
- Take your dog on a walk.
- Set a goal to
participate in an organized fitness walk.
Test Your Knowledge
-
Buying a pedometer or step counter is an easy way to
motivate yourself to walk more.
-
True
This answer is correct.
A pedometer or step counter can help you
determine how active (or inactive) you are throughout the day. After you know
your level of activity, you can set goals to increase your steps, and your
fitness, throughout the day.
-
False
This answer is incorrect.
A pedometer or step counter can help you
determine how active (or inactive) you are throughout the day. After you know
your level of activity, you can set goals to increase your steps, and your
fitness, throughout the day.
Now that you have read this
information, you are ready to plan a walking program that suits you.
Talk with your health professional
If
you have questions about this information, take it with you when you visit your
health professional.
If you would like more information on cardiac
rehabilitation, the following resources are available:
Organization
| American Heart Association (AHA) |
| 7272 Greenville Avenue |
| Dallas, TX 75231 |
| Phone: | 1-800-AHA-USA1 (1-800-242-8721) |
| Web Address: | www.heart.org |
| |
|
Visit the American Heart Association (AHA) website for information on
physical activity, diet, and various heart-related conditions. You can search for information on heart disease and stroke, share information with friends and family, and use tools to help you make heart-healthy goals and plans. Contact the AHA to find your
nearest local or state AHA group. The AHA provides brochures and information
about support groups and community programs, including Mended Hearts, a
nationwide organization whose members visit people with heart problems and
provide information and support.
|
|
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