It's American Heart Month and according to the American Heart Association, staying active has a host of benefits for your overall health. You'll lower the risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and even your risk of certain cancers or stroke. This means that regularly working out can keep your heart functioning properly.
Adults should get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity weekly. There are certain exercises that are recommended to keep your heart in tip-top shape. We reached out to experts, who gave us a range of low-intensity to high-intensity exercises specifically to benefit your heart.
Why exercise is important for your heart
Be sure to keep track of your heart rate through your exercises. D3sign/Getty Images
Exercise in general is beneficial for cardiovascular health. It makes you less likely to develop heart problems as you age, for one. It helps lower your blood pressure, increases your high-density lipoprotein (or good cholesterol), reduces stress and improves your heart's ability to pump more blood into your muscles by efficiently transferring oxygen out of the blood. It also has indirect benefits.
"Exercise can also help control cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol and obesity," said Dr. Lance LaMotte, interventional cardiologist and owner of Title Boxing Club in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
On the flip side, it's also important to remain active as you age because inactivity has been linked to a greater chance of developing heart disease. It also increases your chances of a major cardiovascular event. LaMotte said, "Studies have shown a decreased likelihood of heart attack and stroke by maintaining or increasing activity with age." Besides keeping your heart healthy, LaMotte added that as you age, exercise can also improve your cognition and memory.
Which exercises are best for your heart?
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Any exercise that gets your heart rate up is beneficial for your heart health, said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a preventative cardiologist and a member of Peloton's Health & Wellness Advisory Council: "I've always said that exercise is the best medication and prevention for heart disease and for living a healthier and happier life." LaMotte added that "almost any form of regular exercise can provide tremendous cardiovascular benefits, be it traditional cardio such as walking, running, biking, swimming, high-intensity interval training, resistance training or full-body workouts, such as boxing."
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