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