It’s very important to have a healthy heart. Your heart pumps your blood throughout your body, which keeps you alive. Your heart is a muscle, and to keep it healthy you must keep it strong. Like any other muscle in your body, if you don’t use it, it becomes less efficient.Exercise is one of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. Aerobic exercise (exercise which uses oxygen– for example running, swimming, biking) is good for your heart. Keeping your heart rate in your target heart rate zone for at least thirty minutes at a time, about five days a week, is a good way to keep your heart healthy. To figure your target heart rate–minus your age from 220, then multiply your answer by 60% and 80% to get your upper and lower limits. Anaerobic exercise (exercise without oxygen, such as weight lifting) is also beneficial for your heart, but not quite as beneficial as aerobic exercise. Of course, you need to check with your doctor FIRST before starting ANY exercise.
As you exercise, you increase the amount of blood your heart pumps with each beat, which makes your heart stronger and more efficient.
Keeping your weight in a healthy zone will also improve your heart function. Eating healthy foods such as fruits, nuts, vegetables, fish, chicken, and limiting amounts of red meat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium are positive steps towards keeping your weight down and your heart healthy.
Having a healthy heart improves many functions of the body including functions of the brain. Having a healthy heart improves the quality of life in general, so choose to live with a healthy heart.
