The heart is probably the most hardworking organ there is. This muscle keeps beating from the 6th week of pregnancy till the day we die without any breaks. Your heart beats over a 100,000 times every day and pumps about 5 quarts of blood per minute, which equals around 2,000 gallons of blood every day! These are some of the amazing things your heart can achieve, and all the more reason to keep taking care of your heart as well as it takes care of you. There are some exercises that keep your heart healthy through the years. Giving yourself and your body some time every day to do one of these exercises can be a great investment for a healthy future.
1. Walking
Walking for at least half an hour every day has shown to improve your heart’s health significantly. The best part about walking is that it’s inexpensive and you can include it in your routine easily, such as walking to the grocery store instead of taking the car. During this exercise, the heart pumps much faster because the major muscles are working so much more. Doing this regularly can lower the bad cholesterol while raising the good kind, reduces the risk of a heart attack, lowers blood pressure and helps to reduce and manage weight too. Moreover, exercise releases dopamine and endorphins in the body which keeps your mood elevated. This way, walking has so many benefits!
2. Cycling
Cycling is a very taxing aerobic activity that works the important muscles in the body such as legs and arms, the heart, and your lungs. Like walking, it can be an inexpensive activity that you can fit into your day without going out of the way. Not only is it excellent for your heart’s health, but it also improves joint mobility, strengthens bones, and reduces stress, depression and anxiety. The overall benefits of cycling make it a great exercise to improve the quality of your health and life.
3. Swimming
Swimming is one of the most popular aerobic sports because even two and a half hours of swimming per week is enough to give you a great cardiovascular workout. This workout also includes healthy heart and lung benefits. Swimming also puts much less stress on the bones and joints, making it a wonderful option for those who find different types of aerobic exercises too much of a strain on the body.
4. Stair Climbing
Climbing stairs regularly can help to tone your body, especially your legs. It improves the core muscle strength, which include hamstrings, glutes, quadriceps, calves and abs. Since your heart is getting an intense workout too, it can improve overall heart health, decrease your blood pressure and protects against clogged arteries. Moreover, this exercise reduces stress in our body, improves bone density, protects against diseases like diabetes and vascular dementia, and can even prevent some types of cancer.
5. Dancing
Dancing is an activity that is enjoyed far more than exercise while still giving you the benefits of heart health that comes from aerobic exercise. The fast-paced movement and body workout can involve the use of many different muscles that can help tone down body weight, it helps to lose weight, and reduces stress overall by releasing feel-good hormones that keep your mood elevated. The social connection and interaction that comes from dancing is also a great side benefit.
6. Tai Chi
Tai chi has been a very popular exercise in China for many centuries, and it is gentle enough to be taught to anybody, including the injured and the old. It uses gui
ded movement in many parts of the body that can be described as “meditation in motion”. Even now, many doctors in China believe that tai chi can help to heal the heart as well as other parts of the body when practiced regularly.
