According to the American Heart Association (AHA), 39 percent of Americans think they have ideal cardiovascular health, but more than half of those individuals have health or behavioral factors that put them at risk for heart disease. People may fail to associate risk factors such as poor diet or inactivity with their cardiovascular health. You can increase your heart health with just 30 minutes of exercise a day, and add two hours onto your life for every hour of moderate activity in which you engage.
Ideal Cardiovascular Health
In a 2010 issue of the AHA journal Circulation, the AHA identified seven health behaviors and health factors that define ideal cardiovascular health. Even small improvements in these areas can have a positive effect on your quality of life and life expectancy. The health factors associated with ideal cardiovascular health include total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL, blood pressure below 120/80 and fasting blood glucose below 100 mg/dL. The health behaviors are not smoking, having a body mass index below 25, following a healthy diet consistent with AHA recommendations and engaging in regular physical exercise.
Lead author of the report, Dr. Donald Lloyd-Jones, says the first step to better health is to know your individual numbers and understand what they mean. Although reaching ideal numbers may be difficult for some people due to genetic and other factors, aim to get as close to them as you can.
Exercise Guidelines
The AHA recommends either 150 minutes of moderate activity every week, 75 minutes of vigorous activity, or an equivalent combination of both. Set a goal that is easy to remember, such as exercising for 30 minutes, five times a week. You can also break your exercise down into smaller blocks of 10 to 15 minutes at a time and still receive benefits. Remember that exercise is not an all-or-nothing activity; doing some type or duration of exercise is always better than doing nothing. If you are unable to sustain activity for 30 minutes, set reasonable goals to start with, and increase them as you gain strength and endurance.
Types of Exercise
Exercise can be anything that moves your body and burns calories. Aerobic exercise, which benefits the heart, includes activities such as walking, jogging, swimming or biking. The AHA reports that the easiest, most positive thing you can do to improve your overall health is to start walking regularly. Walking is easy to start, costs nothing and has the lowest dropout rate of any exercise.
Natural Movement
In certain parts of the world known as "Blue Zones," people suffer a fraction of the rate of heart disease that Americans experience and reach age 100 at rates 10 times greater than in the United States, reports Dan Buettner, National Geographic explorer and author of "The Blue Zones: Lessons on Living Longer From the People Who've Lived the Longest." Studies into the lifestyle habits of Blue Zone inhabitants revealed that they engaged in some form of moderate activity nearly every day, such as gardening, walking or playing with their children. Buettner suggests working natural movement into your daily routine to make exercise unavoidable.
Tips for Increasing Physical Activity
Look for ways that you can incorporate exercise into your home and work life. Combine exercise with other activities: Watch TV while walking on a treadmill, or try securing your laptop to the frame so that you can work as you walk. Stand and walk around your house or office while talking on the phone. When shopping or running errands, park farther away. Forming an exercise partnership with a relative or co-worker is a great way to keep each other accountable. At work, walk to a co-worker's office to hold a conversation instead of communicating on the phone or via e-mail. Schedule your exercise time in your planner and treat it as seriously as you would any other important appointment.
References
- AHA: American Heart Association Defines "Ideal" Cardiovascular Health, Sets New Goal to Focus on Improving Health Factors and Lifestyle Behaviors
- AHA: Physical Activity
- Circulation; "Defining and Setting National Goals for Cardiovascular Health Promotion and Disease Reduction"; February 2010
- American Heart Association: Physical Activity Guidelines
- Blue Zones: Live Longer
