We hear it all the time from our doctors, schools and television ads–being active is an important way to keep your heart happy and healthy. Unfortunately, recent research shows that being active a few times a day alone might not be enough. Most Americans sit behind a desk while working, only to go home and sit in front of a computer or television to relax. This trend of sitting down for long periods of time increases the risk of heart disease regardless of how much exercise we get.
Doctors say that the cause of this increase in risk is caused by a slowdown of blood flow to vital parts of the body. Heart failure itself does not mean the heart stops beating, just that it is unable to do its job effectively. Sitting down slows blood flow to our lower extremities, especially our legs. Simply put, the more time we are sedentary, the slower our blood flows through our body, and this can lead to complications.
The solution to this is simple: spend more time up and about than you do sitting down. Simple, right? Well unfortunately, not everyone has the freedom to move about while they are working. What’s more, we spend a lot of time driving to get to different activities, further affecting our daily movement. However, there is a certain amount of time everyone should take out of their weeks to focus on their health. Doctors recommend taking at least 150 minutes a week to be up and about, walking around the house and doing some vigorous exercise. We only get one heart, so it’s important to do everything we can to make sure it lasts.
ReactDx Inc. promotes an active and heart healthy lifestyle. To learn more about staying active and staying healthy, visit our website or contact us today.
