5 Healthy Activities That Strengthen Your Heart
5 Healthy Activities That Strengthen Your Heart
Do you think about your heart health? If not, you probably should. Heart Disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. In a single year, it kills more people than all the different types of cancer put together. The good news is that there are many activities you can do to strengthen your heart and keep it healthy.
Walking
Walking is a low-impact form of exercise. It requires no special skills or expensive equipment. You can walk by yourself or as part of a social group with friends and family members. The heart benefits of walking are undeniable. Walking 30 to 60 minutes each day can help you maintain a healthy weight and lower your blood pressure. It can also reduce your risk of developing diabetes.
Crafts
If jigsaw puzzles aren’t your thing, you can get the same benefit from knitting, sewing, embroidering, scrapbooking, or engaging in any other craft you enjoy. A strong link exists between chronic, high levels of stress and heart disease. Stress can lead to unhealthy habits such as overeating and not getting enough sleep. Being in an anxious state also makes the heart work harder. Any activity that relaxes you can help counter the negative effects of stress and make your heart stronger.
Skateboarding
RELATED ARTICLE: Your Body On Walking! 10 Things That Happen To Your Body When You Walk
Skateboarding is challenging and fun. It also strengthens the heart in many ways. As anyone who has watched or participated in the sport can attest, skateboarding provides a full body workout. If you’re thinking about getting into skateboarding, suppliers like Boards on Nord have accessories and decks available. Building your own skateboard can be a fun and healthy activity. Skateboarding increases endurance, burns calories, and reduces body fat. Regular vigorous exercise also lowers triglyceride levels and increases the levels of HDL, also known as good cholesterol.
Taking Care of a Pet
Some studies suggest that simply owning a pet can lower your risk of dying from heart disease. People who have pets are more likely to survive a heart attack than those who do not. This may be because having a pet, especially a dog which must be walked, encourages the owner to engage in physical exercise. Petting a cat or dog can also reduce stress and anxiety levels.
Stretching and Yoga
Yoga routines are not usually vigorous aerobic workouts, but they do promote relaxation, decrease blood pressure, improve the heart rate, and boost circulation. Yoga has also been shown to positively affect heart rate variability which is an indicator of the overall health of the heart.
Heart disease is responsible for about 25 percent of all deaths in the United States. Luckily, it is largely preventable if you engage regularly in heart-healthy activities.