Physical Activity & Your Heart
Here are the facts
Right now, only about 57% of Australian adults do enough physical activity, and the number continues to decrease, as overweight and obesity levels rise. I find this very worrying, because people who are not physically active are almost twice as likely to die from Coronary Heart Diseases.
Regular moderate physical activity throughout life (like brisk walking) helps to reduce body weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. It not only reduces the risk of dying from heart-related causes, but also from hypertension and diabetes, and it’s extremely good for your mental wellbeing.
What I recommend
The Heart Foundation’s National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australians have been developed based on the best available evidence. They encourage us to be active every day in as many ways as we can, with a total of 30 minutes or more of moderate to high intensity physical activity on most days -- ideally every day.
If you prefer moderate intensity exercise, aim for 2.5 to 5 hours a week. Or if you can handle high intensity, you only need 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week -- because there’s good evidence that shorter bursts of high intensity exercise carry similar health benefits.
Also, try to include muscle strengthening activities at least 2 days a week. And it doesn’t matter how you get your exercise -- just that you get it. So if time is an issue, try to weave it into your daily routine, for example by walking or cycling to work. Or if you take public transport, try getting off one stop early and brisk-walking the rest of the way…
And lastly, enjoy it. Find a form of exercise that you like. For example, a brisk walk through a beautiful park.