Heart Health

Bad News                     

         Heart disease is the #1 killer in America

Good News

          It doesn’t have to be!

*Exercise prescription for a healthy heart = Aerobic + Strength*

        Properly applied, strength training simultaneously engages both the muscular system and the cardiovascular system.
The American Heart Association (AHA) says that for healthy adults, a regular program of weight training not only increases muscle strength and endurance, it also improves heart and lung function, enhances glucose metabolism, reduces coronary disease risk factors, and boosts well-being. When our muscles are stronger, there is less demand placed on the heart. This allows the lungs to process more oxygen with less effort, the heart to pump more blood with fewer beats, and the blood supply directed to your muscles to increase.
        Strength training provides numerous health benefits. It can be very powerful in preventing and reducing the signs and symptoms of numerous diseases and chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and mild depression. According to the AHA, strength increases "functional capacity," which is the ability to perform daily activities. Being physically strong will decrease the strain that day-to-day tasks, such as lifting, place on the heart.

Tips for Aerobic exercise:
Warm up – Gradually increases your heart rate, which reduces stress on the heart and muscles. Include good stretches for every muscles group.

Aerobic Conditioning – Physical activity that produces an increase in heart rate should be done for at least 30 minutes a day. Go swimming, take a brisk walk, low impact aerobics are all great.

Cool Down – Cooling down gradually brings your heart rate down and helps your body recover. Bring the intensity of the workout or current exercise down from the higher intensity and include final stretching in this phase.

Every American adult should participate in 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity activity on most, and preferably all, days of the week.
Moderate activities: activities comparable to walking briskly at about 3 to 4 miles per hour; may include wide variety of occupational or recreational activities, including yard work, household tasks, cycling, swimming, etc.
·      *Thirty minutes of moderate activity daily equates to 600 to 1200 calories of energy expended per week.
 

 
Heart Healthy Nutrition:
If the nutrition information is available for a restaurant’s menu item, we definitely recommend reviewing it to make sure that you are staying within your target intake for sodium. If the nutrition information isn’t available, here are some tips to use when eating out to limit your sodium:
 

• Avoid smoked, cured and salted meat, fish and poultry.
   
• When ordering a salad, request no croutons, cheese, olives, banana peppers, or bacon, all of which can be high in sodium.
   
• Request fresh steamed vegetables with no added salt.
   
• Avoid sauces, gravies and dressings or request them on the side and use in small amounts. 
   
• Use low-sodium soy sauce and dressings

 
Sources:
http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/GettingHealthy/PhysicalActivity/StartWalking/American-Heart-Association-Guidelines_UCM_307976_Article.jsp 
https://www.cybexintl.com/education/fitnesstools/articles/strengthtraining.aspx
https://www.active.com/fitness/articles/your-healthy-heart-exercise-routine
https://www.texasheart.org/HIC/Topics/HSmart/exercis1.cfm
https://circ.ahajournals.org/content/107/1/e2.full
https://www.healthydiningfinder.com/blogs-recipes-more/Ask-the-Dietitians/Heart-Healthy-Menu-Claims (nutrition facts)