Regular physical activity is the best "investment" for a healthy heart by helping reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, reducing weight, improving your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, reducing stress and increasing good mood. For best results, we recommend at least 200 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise or 100 minutes of high-intensity effort. Although cardiovascular risk reduction is not necessary to practice a sport performance, the more active you are the greater beneficial effects.

You take care of your family members, replacing time spent in front of TV or computer screen with a physical activity practiced together - playing a team sport, tennis, badminton, run in the park, swim or go rollerblading or bike. If an adult is required at least 30 minutes of physical activity every day, it is recommended that children and young people to double this time, that makes moving a minimum of 60 minutes daily. This will get used to regular physical activity that will introduce daily routine at the expense of state activities (TV, computer games) and live healthier reducing the risk of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, depression and cardiovascular disease in the future.

What is the difference between moderate intensity effort and at high intensity? When the effort is moderate intensity, increased heart rate and amplitude of breath is not so big that you can talk while making an effort. If breathing becomes rapid and large enough so that it will not allow you to talk, then the effort is considered high intensity. High-intensity effort to consume more calories per unit of time.

If you experience pain in the chest, suffocation or dizziness when you exercise, you may ask your doctor to establish a common plan to move in complete safety. Avoid work in polluted environments or when temperatures are extreme. ( for more health tips visit http://health-tips.ca )

 

Why be active?

It is easier to maintain your health than to regain!

Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular diseases accounting for 30% of deaths from cardiovascular.

The risk associated with physical inactivity in cardiovascular disease is similar to that caused by smoking.

Why be active? Because physical activity has a number of health benefits:

prevents cardiovascular disease, and a number of other conditions;

increases exercise tolerance and maintain physical condition;

helps maintain "wellness" (physical and mental).

 

In terms of cardiovascular disease, physical activity:

Reduces risk of coronary heart disease (angina, myocardial infarction, coronary lesions correctable dilation or bypass aortocoronary) and decreases the risk of death from coronary heart disease;

Decreases the risk of emergence of a stroke;

Decreases the risk of cardiac arrest 2nd;

Lowers the risk of developing hypertension and hypertensive lowers blood pressure by 7.5 / 5.8 mmHg (systolic / diastolic);

Lowers total cholesterol and triglycerides and increases "good" cholesterol (HDL-cholesterol);

Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes; those with diabetes decreases insulin requirements;

Ensure weight control through caloric intake; decreases abdominal obesity;

Quitting smoking eases.

Regarding other diseases, physical activity:

Decreases the risk of colon cancer or breast;

Reduces risk of osteoporosis;

Decreases depression and anxiety.

 

Physical activity increases survival by 1.3 to 3.7 years.

 

How does physical activity?

The main mechanisms by which exercise exerts beneficial effects are:

Increases heart pump function of the heart to work more efficiently -help during an exertion or at rest;

Improves blood vessels to dilate during exercise, thus favoring efficient oxygenation of muscle groups;

Increase muscle strength.

 

Hippocrates: "All parts of the body have a function, used sparingly and for the purposes that are created are healthy, well developed and age more slowly; unused, it age faster and become ill. " ( for more health tips visit http://health-tips.ca )

 

Can anyone benefit from physical activity?

Definitely yes!

Older adults are more independent and have a lower risk of falls and fractures;

Active children and teenagers have a harmonious physical development;

People with various ailments (obesity, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, degenerative joint changes, depression, anxiety) can perform various exercise programs, these medical conditions not represent contraindications for physical activity.

 

As we begin to develop our physical activity?

Indeed, the beginning is the hardest part. Maybe not as bad as each seek the reasons for and against performing physical exercise. The beneficial effects of physical activity can motivate the initiation of a regular program of exercise, and among the arguments against it includes:

lack of free time or desire to handle it with other activities (eg. watching television with family activities);

you consider too old;

you have a disease that you consider inappropriate;

You do not want to consult a doctor before starting exercise program

do not know how to become active.

All these objections can be removed. To convince more read once the beneficial effects of physical activity!

 

Practical suggestions

Although the benefits of physical activity are certain, more than 60% of people are not active at recommended levels. This is due to various factors such as lack of time, motivation, a suitable place, various fears or simply convenience.

How can you overcome these barriers?

What are the main reasons preventing you how you can be active and annihilate?

Not enough time available to him, you can assign a program of systematic physical activity?

This is the most common excuse. The brisk pace we live, reserves very little time for ourselves, but if we are to cope successfully continue this pace, we must maintain our healthy. If you can include easy movement through daily activities, adding movement to everyday habits: Walk or bike to work or shopping, walking the dog, exercising in front of the TV, park your car further and walk, use break table to run through the park and take a frugal lunch, walk the strip incline while reading the newspaper or a material from work, etc. Select activities that generally requires less time: walking, running, climbing stairs. Identify the possibilities of the daily program where you can devote at least 30 minutes to move.

 

Do not know where and what type of exercise you do (lack of resources)?

Choose activities that require minimal resources: walking, jogging in the park, climbing stairs, cycling, rollerblading. Identify programs available motion (Motion projects initiated by the government, NGOs, foundations, associations or clubs).

 

Aren't you motivated enough to do sports?

Try to include movement in your lifestyle, your physical activity plan, timetable and take your commitments. If you can not alone, invite your friends, your partner or children to join you. Subscribe to some classes of physical activity (aerobic, TaeBo, dance, Kangoo Jumps) or a sports club (tennis, swimming). The move made the group's more challenging and more fun. While you wait for your child to finish the hour of swimming or karate, not spend time on a terrace but try to do some exercise (register at a dance class or aerobics taking place at the same time and in a nearest location, jog, walk your bike or simply walk in step alert to the next station and back ...)

 

Weather conditions (rain, cold ..) does not allow you to go jogging in the park or bike and prefer to linger in front of the TV?

Choose types of movement accessible whatever the weather, for example: bike, walk or run on the treadmill, aerobic dancing, swimming, climbing stairs, dancing, etc.

 

Travel frequently and you can not enroll in an exercise program?

Browse hotels are equipped with sports facilities (gym, swimming pool ...). Go walking in step more alert and do not use the elevator. Climb the stairs whenever you have the chance. Take an MP3 player with your favorite music aerobic and try to do an aerobic exercise that can be performed in the hotel room. ( for more travel tips visit http://health-tips.ca/travel )

 

Many family obligations you have to take care of children or a sick parent?

Involve your children in physical activities and make all movement. Use a jump rope, go cycling, swimming, playing tennis, rollerblading stroll. Use the time children are in school or sleeping.

 

Thinking you're too old to make exercises?

It's never too late!

Gardening, walking the dog, playing with grandkids or walking are excellent activities.

Try to satisfy passions for which you have not had time until now: learn ballroom dancing, swimming, visit museums or tourist sites.

Enter physical activity into their daily routines - a walk in the morning and evening, with a preliminary heating to prevent injury.

If you managed to sufficiently motivated, start now!

Look for a physical activity that will attract;

Start gradually;

Set yourself realistic goals;

Create a balance;

Do not overdo it.

 

Here are some suggestions for becoming more active, consider this without much effort:

Walk, bike, rollerblade to work, school or shopping;

Park your car away from destination;

Get off the bus a few stops earlier;

Climb the stairs, not the elevator;

Play with children;

Exercise while watching television;

Dance.

There are 1440 minutes in every day, try to be physical activity 30 of them!

 

There are special recommendations?

Yes, it refers to certain age groups or people who have a certain medical condition.

Children and adolescents - we recommend the moderate physical activity for at least 60 minutes daily.

 

Tips for parents:

Be a positive example, make time for rides and games together;

Encourage them from participating in physical activity; interested them in others;

Is expandable fun physical activity;

Ensure that physical activity is age appropriate;

Limit their time spent on TV / computer.

Elderly - physical activity is one of the most important steps for the elderly to maintain your physical health, psychological and quality of life. To not be subject to risk is important to choose balanced activities:

Muscle strength exercises: lifting weights;

Exercises for joint mobility;

Drive system cardiopulmonary (cardiorespiratory fitness): walking, swimming, dancing, climbing the mountain.

 

Cardiovascular patients - a cardiovascular disorder is not a disability, there are exercise programs and physical activities that can be performed or recommended in various cardiovascular disorders.

If you suffer from one of the cardiovascular diseases mentioned below, any exercise program should be started and continued direct only under the supervision of a cardiologist, in a cardiac rehabilitation program

 

1. Angina:

moderate exercise, performed daily, increases the threshold angina (chest pain that occurs at the threshold) by decreasing the heart rate and blood pressure;

It demonstrated the existence of a direct relationship between exercise intensity and favorable changes of coronary lesions (demonstrated by coronary angiography);

Training improves oxygen uptake of the heart.

2. Myocardial infarction:

resumption of physical activity in patients with the myocardial infarction uncomplicated case can be summarized as follows:

3. angioplasty, CABG:

recommended physical activity programs daily moderate intensity for 30 minutes.

4. Heart failure:

physical activity is beneficial without risks, though heart failure is compensated:

improves the quality of life;

increases exercise capacity;

reduce hospitalizations and improves survival in 1 year

Low-intensity activity is recommended, 3-5 times / week, to observe the following steps:

heating: 10-15 minutes;

proper exercise 20-30 minutes;

relaxation.

5. lower limb peripheral arterial disease:

Progressive physical activity is an effective treatment for the relief threshold claudication (distance at which pain occurs in the legs during walking). Thus, in 6 months of daily exercise, claudication threshold increases by 225 m

walking is more effective than treatment with Pentoxifylline;

When pain occurs, do not stop, are you still five steps;

daily walk 3-4 km (with necessary breaks).

6. Atrial fibrillation:

exercise is contraindicated only if the pulse is too fast (> 80 / min);

otherwise, physical activity is recommended for improving exercise tolerance.

7. Ventricular extrasystoles:

before deciding if you can get a workout, you must be closely monitored during exercise;

if exercise-induced arrhythmias occur, it will be contraindicated.

8. permanent pacemaker:

type of effort, intensity and duration are established depending performing underlying disease that required implantation of this device.

9. implantable defibrillator:

remove the fear that the defibrillator will discharge electrical impulse if you place physical activity;

in reaction to stress test (level of effort from occurring arrhythmias) can determine the type of exercise that can be performed without risk and its intensity.

 

There are a number of sports, so-called risk sports which are contraindicated in patients cardiovascular including:

Altitude Sports> 1800-2000 m cross country skiing or downhill skiing, climbing, skydiving;

diving;

caving;

Motoring;

Karting;

Motorcycling.

Sexual activity corresponds to a level of moderate physical activity (1.5-3.5 METs), such as climbing the equivalent of 2 floors. At-risk patients, where coronary heart disease is stabilized, we recommend avoidance of sexual activity until clinical stabilization.

 

What risks involved physical activity?

Cardiovascular risks:

Sudden death: it is extremely rare to those who perform moderate physical activity; if it is proven onset of arrhythmias (especially ventricular) during exercise, it should be limited;

MI: it found that heart attack triggers are:

12% of cases - mental stress;

5% of cases - high-intensity exercise;

2.5% of cases - extreme anger (anger);

1.5% of cases - sexual activity.

 

Important to remember:

61% of heart attacks occur in the absence of triggers;

19% occur on awakening;

90% of heart attacks occur at rest; only 5-10% of infarctions are associated with high-intensity exercise.

Other risks: musculoskeletal injuries (bones, joints, tendons, muscles). They can be avoided by progressive effort gradually.

 

Tips to avoid incidents:

Listen to your body! You can judge the level of fatigue, heart discomfort of any kind;

Watch for signs of fatigue (muscular, respiratory);

Pay attention to signs of cardiac accident: chest pain, dizziness, sweating;

Take 3-5 minutes to warm up before exercise; stop it slow and make stretching exercises at the end;

Keep hydrated (every 15 minutes of effort).

 

When you should contact your doctor?

If you suffer from a chronic disease - before starting any kind of physical activity;

If there are several events:

- suggestive of a heart attack: chest pain, shortness of breath, cold sweats;

- suggestive of a stroke: sudden muscle weakness, especially on one side; difficulty speaking or understanding; confusion; imbalance, dizziness, impaired coordination; an intense headache, sudden unknown cause.