Cardiac Lifestyle :: Open Heart :: Heart diseases; prevention, causes and treatments. Heart surgery, cardiology, Open information.

Being physically fit enhances the quality and the length of our lives, but most of us can't seem to find the time and lead unhealthy, hectic lifestyles. A bad diet combined with the lack of exercise can have dramatic effects on our heart.

A conscious lifestyle preventing heart disease, let's call it "cardiac lifestyle" may require modification of certain habits, compromising the health of the heart. It is a comprehensive, multi-level, alternative approach , which involves some significant changes of lifestyle in four major areas:

Diet
Fitness
Stress reduction
Social/emotional support

Everybody shall think about it as early as possible to keep a healthy heart or stop progressing disease. Unfortunately many people do not want to listen to their body and change before it is too late. The consequences can be severe and then as part of a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program the change to a more healthy lifestyle may come only by painful experience of an incidence.
Therefore please read about the following chapters and start your cardiac risk reduction program today!

Help yourself to a speedy recovery from a cardiac event and improve long-term health. Exercises, education and lifestyle modification may need the advice of professionals who can tailor them appropriately for individuals who have recently had a heart attack, angioplasty, heart surgery, or have been diagnosed with angina.

Fitness for a healthy heart and a healthy mind

Being physically fit enhances the quality and the length of our lives, but most of us can't seem to find time.
With as little as 20 minutes of exercising 3 times a week you can become physically fitter.
And if you combine this with incorporating extra activity into your daily routines, you will be well on your way to a healthy lifestyle!

Remember that it is a good idea to see your healthcare professional before starting any exercise program, particularly if you have a chronic medical condition, have a family history of heart disease, or are a smoker.

What is fitness?
Fitness is a combination of body composition, muscular performance, and cardiovascular fitness, the latter being one of the most important components. Improving cardiovascular fitness increases the body's supply of oxygen. It also decreases your risk of heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, and other life threatening conditions. Cardiovascular fitness can lead to prolonged endurance and will help you perform to your best abilities. When a heart is well conditioned, it is like any other muscle - it becomes stronger and more efficient. A normal heart beats at approximately 70 beats per minute at rest. A conditioned heart can beat as few as 40 beats per minute. A healthy heart has to work half as much to get the same amount of oxygen to your body.

Aerobic exercise involves constant motion of the muscles and increases the body's need for oxygen. In this manner, aerobic exercise works your heart's muscle, making it bigger and stronger. Aerobic exercises include walking, running, swimming, and cycling. While you want the exercise to be intensive, you don't want to overdo it. The best way to monitor the amount of work you are doing is to measure your heartbeat.
A target heart range (THR) for you is 60-75% of 220 minus your age. When exercising, take your heartbeat frequently and increase your exercise to reach your target heart range. If you start to exceed it, slow down.

At the beginning, you should aim for the low end of your target heart range and as you become fitter, gradually work into the higher range. Exercising for 20-30 minutes three times a week will help you become fitter.