| A heart attack occurs when the blood | | | | weight. |
| supply carrying oxygen and other | | | | The Heart Foundation recommends 30 |
| nutrients to the heart muscle is | | | | minutes or more of physical activity |
| blocked. | | | | [such as brisk walking] on most days of |
| Coronary heart disease is caused by the | | | | the week. If you don't have time for a |
| build-up of artherosclerosis, [fatty | | | | 30 minute block, take three 10 minute |
| deposits] or plaque on the inside of | | | | walks and accumulate in shorter bouts. |
| artery walls. This narrows the channel | | | | Walking 19km a week is enough exercise |
| inside the artery so there is less room | | | | to improve cardiovascular health, |
| for the blood to flow through. | | | | according to a US study published in the |
| The following 2 critical risk factors | | | | October 2005 issue of the journal Chest. |
| you should be aware of if you wish to | | | | Researchers at Duke University Medical |
| avoid a heart attack or heart disease. | | | | Centre found that overweight people who |
| SMOKING. | | | | walked 19km a week, considered by the |
| Stopping smoking is the single most | | | | scientists to be a "moderate" amount of |
| important thing you can do to reduce | | | | exercise, consumed oxygen more |
| your risk of heart disease, according to | | | | efficiently and gained physical |
| the Heart Foundation. | | | | endurance, both of which reduced the |
| Smoking reduces the amount of oxygen in | | | | risk of heart disease. |
| your blood, damages and constricts your | | | | The most important factor is to pace |
| artery walls and increases blood | | | | yourself. If you have difficulty talking |
| pressure. It also increases your heart | | | | after exercise, you may be over |
| rate, and can increase the rate at which | | | | exerting. A good test for this is the |
| cholesterol deposits accumulate in the | | | | target heart rate for your age and this |
| blood vessels. | | | | is calculated by using a heart rate |
| For many smokers, fear is a major | | | | monitor. |
| factor. Fear of giving up the pleasure | | | | A heart rate monitor is a good way to |
| or the crutch, fear that you will be | | | | measure the intensity and quality of |
| unable to enjoy life or handle stress. A | | | | your workouts and maximise your |
| number of strategies are available. | | | | outcomes. You use percentages of you |
| These include patches as well as | | | | maximum heart rate [MHR] to judge the |
| psychotherapy and hypnotherapy. | | | | intensity for you. To work out your MHR |
| The benefits of quitting however, are | | | | you simply deduct your age from 220. |
| almost immediate. From the moment you | | | | About 50 to 60 percent of your MHR is a |
| stop smoking, your extra risk of heart | | | | good level for improving your overall |
| disease begins to decrease. One year | | | | health. Once you hit 60 to 70 percent, |
| after stopping, your risk of another | | | | you're in the "fitness zone" This is |
| heart attack is around half that of a | | | | perfect for those looking to train at a |
| continuing smoker. | | | | moderate intensity. |
| LACK OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY. | | | | Seventy to 85 percent is about the |
| Your body is designed to move.Therefore | | | | fastest pace at which you can exercise |
| regular moderate physical activity is | | | | and still talk. This is great for |
| good for your heart. Being active can be | | | | runners wanting to improve performance. |
| fun, make you feel good in yourself and | | | | Don't go higher than this, 85 to 100 |
| help boost your immune system. Physical | | | | percent is a zone best reserved for |
| activity can also help control other | | | | serious athletes with a high pain |
| risk factors such as blood pressure and | | | | tolerance. |