Exercise's Effects on the Heart:
Inactivity
is one of the major risk factors for heart disease. However, exercise
helps improve heart health, and can even reverse some heart disease risk
factors.
Like all muscles,
the heart becomes stronger as a result of exercise, so it can pump more
blood through the body with every beat and continue working at maximum
level, if needed, with less strain. The resting heart rate of those who
exercise is also slower, because less effort is needed to pump blood.
A
person who exercises often and vigorously has the lowest risk for heart
disease, but any amount of exercise is beneficial. Studies consistently
find that light-to-moderate exercise is even beneficial in people with
existing heart disease. Note, however, that anyone with heart disease or
cardiac risk factors should seek medical advice before beginning a
workout program.
The
heart is a large muscular organ that pumps blood throughout the body.
Valves inside the heart open and close. This controls how much blood
enters or leaves the heart.
Effects of Exercise on Heart Disease and Cholesterol
Exercise
has a number of effects that benefit the heart and circulation (blood
flow throughout the body). These benefits include improving cholesterol
and fat levels, reducing inflammation in the arteries, helping weight
loss programs, and helping to keep blood vessels flexible and open.
Studies continue to show that physical activity and avoiding high-fat
foods are the two most successful means of reaching and maintaining
heart-healthy levels of fitness and weight.
The
American Heart Association recommends that individuals perform
moderately-intense exercise for at least 30 minutes on most days of the
week. This recommendation supports similar exercise guidelines issued by
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American
College of Sports Medicine.
Coronary Artery Disease.
People who maintain an active lifestyle have a 45% lower risk of
developing heart disease than do sedentary people. Experts have been
attempting to define how much exercise is needed to produce heart
benefits. Beneficial changes in cholesterol and lipid levels, including
lower LDL ("bad" cholesterol) levels, occur even when people performed
low amounts of moderate- or high-intensity exercise, such as walking or
jogging 12 miles a week. However, more intense exercise is required to
significantly change cholesterol levels, notably increasing HDL ("good"
cholesterol). An example of this kind of intense program would be
jogging about 20 miles a week. Benefits occur even with very modest
weight loss, suggesting that overweight people who have trouble losing
pounds can still achieve considerable heart benefits by exercising.
Some
studies suggest that for the greatest heart protection, it is not the
duration of a single exercise session that counts but the total weekly
amount of energy expended.
Resistance
(weight) training has also been associated with heart protection. It
may offer a complementary benefit to aerobics. If you have heart disease
or risk factors for heart disease, check with your doctor before
starting resistance training.
Effects of Exercise on Blood Pressure.
Regular exercise helps keep arteries elastic (flexible), even in older
people. This, in turn, ensures good blood flow and normal blood
pressure. Sedentary people have a 35% greater risk of developing high
blood pressure than physically active people do.
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar