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Matters of the Heart: Why You Need to Stay Fit for Your Heart

When it comes to matters of the heart, things can be tricky. True enough, we blame our heart when we fall in love and end up feeling broken. We hold our heart responsible for our feelings. We can’t keep it from beating extra fast when we get excited.

Let us not go all scientific about this and put the brain in the equation. That’s going to be an extra long discussion. For now, let’s learn about caring for our heart. And no, we’re no longer talking about love.

Why You Need to Stay Fit for Your Heart

We will learn about the ways to physically care for the heart. After all, if we want to live a longer life, we need to keep this muscle beating.

Your Heart Will Cost You a Lot of Money

Cardiologists and heart surgeons are two of the highest paid medical professionals in the world. And they have all the right to deserve what they’re earning because they’re handling one of the most delicate and sensitive body parts of the human being. One wrong move can be fatal.

So yes, your heart will cost you a lot of money if you don’t start taking care of it. Unless you have full health insurance coverage, then you probably have to start saving every dollar you earn beginning today if you refuse to make the effort.

Cardiovascular Diseases are Difficult to Deal With

Your movements will be limited. You may no longer function as usual. You can no longer enjoy the things you used to enjoy, even simple things like running or getting on a ride in an amusement park.

More than the money you will be spending, you need a whole lot of attention and help when you’re dealing with heart diseases. You will most likely require help from others. Do you really want to burden your loved ones with having to take care of you when you know you could have just taken extra care of yourself when you had the chance?

The most difficult part about it is that the heart can be such a traitor. Even a young and strong individual can get a heart attack at the most unexpected time and place. You never really know what you’re dealing with when it comes to cardiovascular diseases.

Does Being Fit Prevent Risks of Heart Attack?

While being physically fit can significantly reduce the risk of heart attack, it does not guarantee complete prevention. However, maintaining a high level of fitness through regular exercise and leading a healthy lifestyle can greatly contribute to heart health and decrease the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack.

Here are some reasons why being fit can help prevent heart attacks:

  1. Improved Cardiovascular Health: Regular exercise strengthens the heart muscle, enhances circulation, and improves the overall health of blood vessels. It helps to maintain healthy blood pressure levels, lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol, and increases HDL (good) cholesterol. These factors reduce the strain on the heart and lower the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, including heart attack.
  2. Reduced Risk of Obesity: Regular physical activity helps control body weight and prevents obesity, which is a significant risk factor for heart disease. Excess body weight puts added stress on the heart and increases the likelihood of developing conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, which are associated with an increased risk of heart attack.
  3. Better Management of Risk Factors: Regular exercise can help manage several risk factors for heart attack, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, and type 2 diabetes. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, promotes weight loss, and helps regulate lipid profiles, leading to better overall metabolic health.
  4. Improved Blood Sugar Control: Regular physical activity helps regulate blood sugar levels and reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Diabetes is a significant risk factor for heart disease, and individuals with diabetes have an increased likelihood of experiencing a heart attack. Maintaining normal blood sugar levels through exercise and a healthy lifestyle can help prevent such complications.
  5. Enhanced Stress Management: Exercise is known to reduce stress and improve mental well-being. Chronic stress can contribute to the development of heart disease by increasing blood pressure and promoting unhealthy habits such as smoking, overeating, or excessive alcohol consumption. Regular physical activity acts as a natural stress reliever and can help manage stress levels, reducing the risk of heart attack.
  6. Improved Overall Fitness and Resilience: Being physically fit improves overall cardiovascular endurance, stamina, and resilience. Regular exercise strengthens the heart and lungs, allowing the body to handle physical exertion more efficiently. This increased fitness level can help individuals withstand potential cardiovascular stressors and reduce the risk of heart attack.
  7. Promotes Healthy Lifestyle Choices: Engaging in regular exercise is often accompanied by adopting other healthy lifestyle behaviors. It encourages individuals to make better dietary choices, avoid smoking, limit alcohol consumption, and prioritize sleep. These lifestyle factors collectively contribute to better heart health and reduce the risk of heart attack.

While fitness plays a significant role in preventing heart attacks, it’s important to note that other factors, such as genetics, family history, and age, can also influence individual risk.

Prevention is Always Better Than Cure

The good news about this is that you always have a choice. You can keep your heart healthy by simply eating good food and living an active lifestyle.

According to WebMD:

“People who don’t exercise are almost twice as likely to get heart disease as people who are active.”

When you exercise and stay committed to living an active lifestyle, you will be able to lower your blood pressure, reduce the bad cholesterol (LDL), boost the good cholesterol (HDL) and burn calories.

According to www.keyforhealth.net

Fitness is very important if you want to keep your heart healthy. Simple exercises like running around your neighborhood, engaging in sports or walking short distances instead of driving your car are good enough to get you started.

When you feel better and you know your heart is at 100%, you have better chances in “matters of the heart,” too. Don’t you think?