February is heart health month! Though February is nearly over, it is never too late to start thinking about heart health. Many Canadians suffer with heart problems so it is important to know how to take care of your heart. Earlier this month we had a post regarding diet and heart health but today I want to touch on exercise as a way to keep your heart healthy.
The heart is a muscle; arguably the most important muscle in the body. Just like any other muscle, the heart can be worked out so it gets stronger. We can work the heart by leading an active lifestyle. If you already lead an active lifestyle and get 60 minutes of physical activity a day then this should be pretty easy for you. Your biggest focus will then be on also maintaining a healthy diet and avoiding smoking. However, many of us do not lead very active lifestyles, partly due to the rise in technology and convenience in our day to day lives. So what can we do?
Oftentimes people find getting started to be the hardest part of leading an active lifestyle. You don’t have to launch into going to the gym everyday or running on a treadmill for an hour every day. Start small and start easy. Try to start by taking a 10-15 minute walk before work or after dinner. If it is too cold to go outside you can do laps inside the house or walk up and down a flight of stairs a few times. The next step is adding short movement breaks in your day. If your job allows it, try to take a couple minutes every hour to move. Whether you do 10 squats at your desk, do a few jumping jacks or do a quick lap of the office, try to get some movement in throughout your day. If there is a water cooler a quick walk from your desk, you can make it an excuse to hydrate as well. These are just examples, don’t be afraid to get creative with your movement.
Make these movement breaks a habit, get into a routine. As the walks get easier and more habitual try to make them longer. It is great to get your heart rate up for prolonged periods of time and is important in the long run, but when starting out just try and get some movement in. Once you are in the routine of moving it becomes easier to make time for it. Once you start, the most important thing is maintaining the habit. This year make movement a priority, make your heart a priority.