Role of exercise in heart health
Exercise plays a vital role in maintaining heart health. Regular physical activity can help prevent and manage cardiovascular diseases, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Exercise helps to strengthen the heart muscle, which is responsible for pumping blood throughout the body. When you engage in physical activity, your heart rate increases, which allows the heart to pump more blood with each beat. This increased blood flow delivers more oxygen and nutrients to the body's tissues, including the heart. In addition, exercise can help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, two key risk factors for heart disease. Physical activity can also help control weight, reducing the strain on the heart and improving overall heart health. To improve heart health, it's recommended that adults engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise per week. This can include brisk walking, ...