Kenneth Gardner

A lot of emphasis is now being placed on the importance of exercise for our health. However, many of us may not be aware of how much our heart benefits from physical activity. Here's how exercise helps your heart:

Exercise reduces our blood pressure to ideal levels preventing hypertension/high blood pressure. It also reduces the resistance the blood experiences as it flows through the blood vessels (arteries). Thus, the heart and blood vessels are able to circulate the blood with less difficulty.

Exercise maintains the elasticity of the blood vessels and retains their ability to expand and contract effectively.

Exercise helps to prevent the blockage of blood vessels by blood clots.

Exercise improves blood flow within the walls of the heart; this prevents pain in the chest caused by insufficient blood supply.

Exercise improves circulation of the blood by the heart which reduces the risk of congestive heart failure. Improved blood circulation and a desirable blood pressure will prevent the occurrence of heart attack, stroke, kidney failure and blindness in persons who are diabetic.

Exercise reduces the hardening and narrowing of the blood vessels, these are forerunners of stroke, heart attack and high blood pressure.

Exercise reduces the resting heart beat (heart rate); this makes the heart do the same work with less effort.

Exercise causes the heart to increase the volume of blood it pumps with each beat when you are resting; it increases the amount of blood the heart circulates.

Exercise increases the size and strength of the heart due to the thickening of its walls.

Exercise stimulates the development of capillaries (small blood vessels) to improve blood circulation and causes the heart to recover more quickly after stress.

Exercise improves the heart's ability to generate electrical stimulation. This initiates heart contraction which causes the blood to circulate.

Take a walk

A fitness buff taking a power walk in Emancipation Park, St. Andrew. Walking is good for your heart. - file

Walking is a popular and simple form of exercise that can increase your heart rate and improve your heart function in the long run. By starting your walking routine at a moderate pace, you can gradually increase the pace as the routine gets easier. This activity requires no special skills, expensive equipment or unusual facility. Comfortable clothing with walking or running shoes is essentially what you need to get going.

As we exercise and develop a healthier heart, we should be able to manage, more effectively, cardiovascular problems which are the number one cause of death.