Health Education

Cardiovascular Workouts: What You Need to Do

By January 14, 2018 No Comments

Knowing the basics of how your heart responds to exercise will give you the upper hand.  Making simple adjustments to your routine over time can have a major impact, keeping your cardiovascular system operating at a high capacity for the rest of your life.

The heart, lungs, veins, and arteries make up our cardiovascular system and together are responsible for carrying blood, oxygen, hormones and nutrients to all of our cells.  Our cardiovascular system aids in regulation of every important function in our body.  Systemic health relies on our ability to continuously move fluid in and out of cells throughout our body.  It is our responsibility to make sure this can happen effeciently.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women.  Roughly 1 of 4 deaths in America are the result of heart disease (CDC, 2017).  Many of these deaths could be prevented with education, personal responsibility, and appropriate self care.  Processed foods and the Standard American Diet play a large role in heart health as a diet based upon real foods is paramount.  Understanding the basics of cardiovascular exercise is equally important.

The heart is a muscle that relies on movement to be exercised.  Sitting for long periods of time essentially puts this vital muscle to sleep.  Movement pumps the heart, lungs, and related fluids throughout the body.  The more you move, the more this system gets to pump (literally!).  Take stock of how long you are sitting over the course of a day and start standing up every 30 minutes or so to move around.  It doesn’t matter if you have a regular exercise program, if you have a sedentary job you must offset the numbing effects on your cardiovascular system by moving regularly during the day.

The American Heart Association currently recommends AT LEAST 30 minutes a day of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise AT LEAST 5 days per week.  This basically means you need to walk a half hour every day.  It could be two fifteen minute walks or three ten minute walks.  If you struggle with walking, find an elliptical or seated bike.  Not exciting enough?  Find a pool or an exercise class.  Moderate-intensity exercise is appropriate for everyone, find what you can comfortably do and make it a habit.  This keeps our heart and lungs pumping enough to promote baseline health.

The AHA also recommends 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity AT LEAST 3 days per week.  This could also be combined with high intensity muscle strengthening activities.  In simple terms, our cardiovascular system responds extremely well to being pushed.  This is relative to what your fitness level is.  If you’re used to walking a few days a week, try to walk at a fast pace for spurts.  If you have a casual strength training routine, explore pushing yourself until you are out of breath.  On “cruise control” for your elliptical workouts?  Push into higher intensity to get your heart and lungs pumping extra.  There are a lot of options out there, so choose one that works for you and get your heart rate up.  If you have any questions or concerns of how to safely do this, consult with a doctor or professional first.

Movement is essential to every aspect of our health.  If it helps, think of it in three categories: Standing, Motion, and Higher Intensity.  We must take responsibility to off set the negative effects of sitting.  Stand as much as you can over the course of your work day.  We need to move every day for baseline cardiovascular health.  That can be walking, cycling, or hiking.  Lastly, getting our heart rate up through exercise pumps our heart and lungs in a way that increases the strength and vitality of the entire system.  Try walking faster, sprinting, playing a sport, or choosing a challenging pace to your favorite exercise.  Be safe, take responsibility, and make it happen!