A Balanced Heart Is A Healthy Heart
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By Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum | Posted Oct 2, 2022
Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your overall health, but did you know that it can also reduce your risk of heart disease? In fact, according to the American Heart Association, women who get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity on most days have a lower risk of heart disease than inactive women.
Are you living from the heart? Find out. Take our brief quiz to get your own #LiveFromTheHeart tip sheet.
Take the quiz!So, how exactly does exercise reduce your risk of heart disease? Let’s take a closer look.
When you exercise, your heart muscle gets stronger. This not only helps it pump blood more efficiently, but it also reduces your resting heart rate. Additionally, exercise helps improve the function of your arteries and lowers your blood pressure. All of these factors together can help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Exercise also helps improve your cholesterol levels. HDL (or “good”) cholesterol picks up excess cholesterol and transports it back to the liver, where it’s broken down and removed from the body. LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol, on the other hand, builds up in the arteries and increases your risk of heart disease. Regular exercise helps increase HDL cholesterol and decrease LDL cholesterol, reducing your heart disease risk.
Finally, exercise helps you control your weight. Being overweight or obese increases your risk of developing heart disease, so maintaining a healthy weight is crucial. Exercise burns calories and helps you build muscle mass, both of which can help you achieve or maintain a healthy weight.
As you can see, there is a strong link between exercise and reduced risk of heart disease in women. So if you’re looking for ways to improve your heart health, start by adding some more physical activity to your routine!
