How to Avoid Heart Strain While Exercising

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Exercise is good for your heart health, and can help in the fight to lower your blood pressure and keep your heart fit and healthy. If you’re already exercising regularly, or planning to start sometime soon, you’ll need to know the optimum heart rate for your age and fitness level, what the dangerous exercise levels are, and how to avoid over-exerting yourself and straining your heart.

Physical exercise detoxes the arteries!

Physical exertion can actually act like a detox for the arteries, helping to prevent the accumulation of the fatty plaques that can lead to atherosclerosis, high blood pressure, and coronary heart disease.

However, most people in the United Kingdom and the United States spend a greater proportion of their lives than ever before, either sitting down or doing things that involve little or no physical activity. A recent British survey discovered that the average person now walks a half mile per day, down from nearly three quarters of a mile in 1976. As this is an average, it is likely that some people will walk much longer distances than this whilst others will walk very little at all.

Check out your safe maximum heart rate

There’s never been a better time than now to start doing some extra physical activity. You can find our top ten ‘easy win’ tips to increase your physical activity each day  listed below. If you get into the habit of adopting these handy exercise tips, you will eventually hardly notice them, maybe save yourself some money, and do your heart health some good as well.

Before you start though, be sure to check what your maximum recommended pulse rate should be for your age group, and don’t forget – always consult your doctor before starting any fitness program. The following table lists the recommended maximum exercise pulse rates for all age ranges and fitness levels:

Top ten tips for easy exercise and big heart health gains :-

• Wash your car yourself instead of using the car wash (save some dollars during the credit crunch!)
• Cut the grass or do an hours worth of gardening
• Do an hours work around the house – cleaning, polishing or DIY – why pay to join a gym ?
• Climb the stairs at the office instead of taking the elevator (if you’re at home take a few extra stair climbs each day)
• Park your car at the end of the lot when you go shopping or to work
• Go food shopping, carry your groceries, and cook a meal instead of ordering a pizza delivery
• Pace up and down the room when you’re talking on the phone
• Take advantage of TV commercial breaks to do some chores around the home
• Get up at least once per hour and walk around your home or office
• Don’t send an email – get up and walk to see the person or friend at the other side of the office, or neighbourhood