Exercising for a Healthy Heart
Physical activity is important for building a healthy body supported by a strong heart. Your heart pumps about 115,000 times a day to circulate 2,000 gallons of blood; that's a lot of work! Support your heart with exercise so your heart can continue to support you. Exercising on a regular basis has many health benefits, including the prevention or control of high blood pressure. If high blood pressure is not controlled, it can lead to complications such as a heart attack, aneurysm, metabolic syndrome, or dementia. The general recommendation is to engage in moderate-level physical activity for at least 30 minutes each day. If you are a sedentary individual and have not exercised in many years, you can begin by dividing the 30 minutes into shorter periods of 10 minutes each to make it more manageable. If you are already an "exerciser", then try adding 1 more minute to your workout each day for an added benefit. Common chores around the house can count as moderate level acti...