New research has revealed the majority of heart disease sufferers are making a major mistake. And it could end up costing them their lives if they aren’t careful.
Two recent studies examined the exercise habits of nearly 3,000 people from South Australia and Southern Brazil. And researchers made some disturbing discoveries.
It turns out most folks with heart disease, as well as those at risk for developing it, weren’t living their lives to their fullest. Their quality of life scores were much lower than those of their healthy peers.
The researchers even figured out why life is so much less fulfilling for these folks. And it’s probably going to surprise you.
They weren’t moving enough.
You see the human body is meant to move. And it turns out the folks who were leading MORE fulfilling lives were doing just that.
In fact, the amount of time folks spent being physically active had a direct relationship to how happy and fulfilled they were overall. And the positive impact “moderate to vigorous” exercise had was nothing short of stunning.
The trouble is more than 70 percent of heart disease patients aren’t getting anywhere near the amount of exercise they need. And it’s not just their quality of life that’s suffering, but possibly life itself. Because experts say inactivity is putting them at a significantly higher risk for serious complications… including death.
According to the new research, you should be aiming for 150 minutes (or more) of exercise a week. Which might sound like a lot at first. But it actually boils down to a measly 20 minutes a day.
Stop heart disease complications with strain-free exercises
Having heart disease might make you nervous about exercise—and that’s perfectly understandable. But the truth is your workouts don’t have to be grueling to make a big impact. They just have to be consistent.
Following are four research-backed ways to sneak in 20 (plus) minutes of strain-free exercise every day. And best of all none of them will end up boring you to tears.
1. Take a hike:
Marathon runners don’t have a corner on the market when it comes to cardiovascular disease. Walking at a brisk pace can work wonders for your heart health too.
In fact, in this latest research, the healthy and fulfilled folks were much more likely to walk than participate in any other kind of moderate or vigorous physical exercise. And yet the walking folks still had a far better quality of life than those who were suffering from heart disease.
2. Go for a spin:
You don’t have to sign up for a strenuous spin class at your local gym to benefit from spinning. Research shows that even just an hour of biking per week offers major protection against heart disease.
This same study found that, over two decades of follow-up, regular bikers suffered 18 percent fewer heart attacks than folks who didn’t cycle. In other words a daily spin around your neighborhood, or a local park, can help keep your heart healthy and slash your risk for heart attacks.
3. Strap on your dancing shoes:
It’s true—you can actually cut your risk of heart disease death by cutting a rug. One recent study showed that regular, moderate-intensity dancing reduced cardiovascular disease by nearly half. Protecting your heart while doing something you love to do anyway is what I’d call a win-win situation.
4. Hit the country club:
Whether you head for the pool or the tennis court, the benefits to your heart are unbeatable. In fact, one 2016 study found that racquet sports and swimming reduce risk of heart disease death by 56 percent and 41 percent, respectively.
Experts say it’s because they are both full-body sports which engage your muscles from head to toe. But I’m guessing the fact that they’re both so much fun to do, which means you’re more likely to stick with them and keep moving longer, doesn’t hurt either.
Don’t make the #1 mistake most heart disease sufferers make. The human body is happier and healthier when it’s in motion, and so is your heart. So go ahead and make a move.
She is an advocate of self-education and is passionate about the power of group knowledge sharing, like the kind found right here on HealthierTalk.com. Alice loves to share her views on holistic and natural healing as well as her, sometimes contentious, thoughts on the profit-driven inner workings of traditional medicine.
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