The Simple Way To Boost Your Heart Health By 46%

By Marygrace Taylor

Photo credit: Jenny Acheson

If the inner tube that’s usually in the pool during those lazy, hazy days of summer is now firmly around your middle, here’s some news that’ll help deflate it and strengthen your heart in the process.

Daily exercise reduces your risk for heart failure by a whopping 46%, according to a big new study published in the journal Circulation. From 1997 to 2010, Swedish researchers tracked the exercise habits and heart failure rates of nearly 40,000 adults (all of whom were healthy at the outset). The more active folks were, the lower their risk of heart failure. And while any amount of exercise was better than none, those with the lowest heart failure risk did either 60 minutes of moderate activity (e.g., walking) or 30 minutes of vigorous activity (e.g., running) every day.

From: http://www.prevention.com/health/health-concerns/daily-exercise-improves-heart-health-46

Low Back Pain: What Can You Do?

You may feel like resting, but moving is good for your back. Exercises for lower back pain can strengthen back, stomach, and leg muscles. They help support your spine, relieving back pain. Always ask your doctor before doing any exercise for back pain. Depending on the cause and intensity of your pain, some exercises may not be recommended and can be harmful.

SEE SLIDE SHOW from medscape.com

READ ARTICLE on Using Exercise to Ease Low Back Pain

Just 10 Minutes! Getting Older Patients to Exercise

Hi. I am David Brown, from the Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). I am pleased to speak with you today, as part of the CDC Expert Commentary Series on Medscape, and I am here to talk to you about the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Older Adults.

The guidelines say that older adults need to do 2 types of physical activity each week to improve health: aerobic andmuscle-strengthening.

For aerobic physical activity, the guidelines recommend that adults 65 years and older do:

• 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity per week; or

• 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous intensity aerobic physical activity; or

• An equivalent combination of moderate and vigorous intensity physical activity weekly.

There are even greater health benefits from doing more than 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity every week. Activities should last at least 10 minutes at a time. Doing 10-minute sessions of physical activity 3 times a day counts as much as doing a single 30-minute session.

The guidelines also recommend:

• Muscle strengthening on 2 or more days a week, preferably not on consecutive days, for all major muscle groups; and

• Balance exercises at least 3 days per week for those at risk for falling.

READ FULL ARTICLE for more details from medscape.com

CDC Videos on Physical Activity

These videos help explain the guidelines, give you tips on how to meet them and show you how to do muscle strengthening exercises properly. 

SEE VIDEOS by the CDC

Resources for Physical Exercise

Regular physical activity helps improve your overall health and fitness, and reduces your risk for many chronic diseases.

Physical activity is anything that gets your body moving. Start at a comfortable level. Once you get the hang of it, add a little more activity each time you exercise. Then try exercising more often.

READ FULL PAGE from The HealthCare Advocate

WEBMD Health & Fitness Guide - Better Information for Better Health

Running, walking, gardening – it’s all good. Regardless of what you do, regular exercise and physical activity is the path to health and well-being. Exercise burns fat, builds muscle, lowers cholesterol, eases stress and anxiety, lets us sleep restfully. In this guide, we match resources to your exercise needs -- at every fitness level.

via Health & Fitness Guide - Better Information for Better Health.

Why Warming Up and Cooling Down are Important

Warm-ups and cool-downs take just a few minutes, and they make all the difference for a great workout. Here's how to do both right.

How to Warm Up

A short warm-up stokes your blood flow and preps your body for exercise. Your muscles respond better to challenges if they're loose and warm. Warm-ups should take 5 to 10 minutes. You'll know you're done when you feel ready for more of a challenge.

Before Cardio

Warm up with a slow-paced aerobic activity. Go for a walk, use a treadmill or elliptical trainer on a low setting, or bike at an easy pace, suggests Carol Ewing Garber, PhD. She's an associate professor of movement sciences at Teachers College, Columbia University. Start slow and gradually ramp up your pace and intensity.

Before Strength Training

Choose an easy cardio activity that warms up multiple muscles at once, such as treadmill walking, slow jogging, or easy pedaling on a stationary bicycle.

CONTINUE READING via Why Warming Up and Cooling Down are Important.