Walking to Develop a Healthy Heart
Clients regularly consult with me about weight loss and healthy lifestyle.
While I explain that the combination of diet and exercise is important to maintain a healthy body, it is exercise that actually offers the most bang for its buck.
That's because exercise is good for more than just your body, it is good for your overall well being.
Think about it this way, when you are stressed your blood pressure rises.
This can give you headaches and cause fatigue to set in.
Although there are many types of exercises you can do to counteract stress, walking is perhaps the best.
This is primarily because it is easy and inexpensive.
Like all cardiovascular exercises, it reduces your stress and lowers your blood pressure while releasing endorphins which stimulate your mind and help bring you into a balanced state.
While many health-conscious people join gyms or purchase expensive equipment for home use, walking is completely free.
Plus you can engage in it anytime of the day, for as little or as long as you wish.
Let me ask, how many times have you been sitting at your desk at work and felt so stressed that it has caused you neck or back pain or other symptoms? If you would take a short break and walk at this point, even around the block, your blood pressure would decrease and you, in essence, would have "cleared your mind.
" You wouldn't be under the effects of stress and you could go back to your desk and continue with your work.
Now just imagine if you walked for thirty minutes a day.
As a result your cholesterol will decrease significantly, your blood pressure will be lowered, and you will feel revitalized and clear of mind.
More importantly, walking substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Because of our modern sedentary lifestyle obesity has become a pandemic in our society.
As a result we are all faced with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses.
If you have high cholesterol, like I used to, one of the things your doctor may ask for is a blood test every three months.
This is to monitor the HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol), as well as the triglycerides (the fat contained in your body).
While your LDL may be low, it is the HDL and triglycerides that are of the biggest concern.
This is because a high triglyceride level of 200 or more indicates that you may be overweight as a result of the lack of physical exercise.
In addition, if your blood test shows that your HDL is below 50, it is below the normal range.
The only way to increase your HDL level and lower your triglycerides is through physical exercise.
The facts are that if your doctor shows you the blood test report, and your HDL level and triglycerides are out of whack, the report will also state that you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
If you do receive a report like this, in order to decrease your risk, walking will not only be recommended but it is necessary.
If you are not currently engaged in any physical activity, now is the time.
Start slowly and work your way up.
No one is saying you have to run a marathon, but if you want to avoid future health problems associated with your heart, walking is a great first step.
If you want more information on improving your fitness I have a FREE Fitness and weight Loss e-Course.
While I explain that the combination of diet and exercise is important to maintain a healthy body, it is exercise that actually offers the most bang for its buck.
That's because exercise is good for more than just your body, it is good for your overall well being.
Think about it this way, when you are stressed your blood pressure rises.
This can give you headaches and cause fatigue to set in.
Although there are many types of exercises you can do to counteract stress, walking is perhaps the best.
This is primarily because it is easy and inexpensive.
Like all cardiovascular exercises, it reduces your stress and lowers your blood pressure while releasing endorphins which stimulate your mind and help bring you into a balanced state.
While many health-conscious people join gyms or purchase expensive equipment for home use, walking is completely free.
Plus you can engage in it anytime of the day, for as little or as long as you wish.
Let me ask, how many times have you been sitting at your desk at work and felt so stressed that it has caused you neck or back pain or other symptoms? If you would take a short break and walk at this point, even around the block, your blood pressure would decrease and you, in essence, would have "cleared your mind.
" You wouldn't be under the effects of stress and you could go back to your desk and continue with your work.
Now just imagine if you walked for thirty minutes a day.
As a result your cholesterol will decrease significantly, your blood pressure will be lowered, and you will feel revitalized and clear of mind.
More importantly, walking substantially reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Because of our modern sedentary lifestyle obesity has become a pandemic in our society.
As a result we are all faced with an increased risk of heart disease, stroke, and other illnesses.
If you have high cholesterol, like I used to, one of the things your doctor may ask for is a blood test every three months.
This is to monitor the HDL (good cholesterol) and LDL (bad cholesterol), as well as the triglycerides (the fat contained in your body).
While your LDL may be low, it is the HDL and triglycerides that are of the biggest concern.
This is because a high triglyceride level of 200 or more indicates that you may be overweight as a result of the lack of physical exercise.
In addition, if your blood test shows that your HDL is below 50, it is below the normal range.
The only way to increase your HDL level and lower your triglycerides is through physical exercise.
The facts are that if your doctor shows you the blood test report, and your HDL level and triglycerides are out of whack, the report will also state that you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease.
If you do receive a report like this, in order to decrease your risk, walking will not only be recommended but it is necessary.
If you are not currently engaged in any physical activity, now is the time.
Start slowly and work your way up.
No one is saying you have to run a marathon, but if you want to avoid future health problems associated with your heart, walking is a great first step.
If you want more information on improving your fitness I have a FREE Fitness and weight Loss e-Course.
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