Preventing & Reversing Heart Disease For Dummies
Explore Book- Some parts of the arterial circulation to expand or dilate, sending more blood to the working muscles that need it
- Other parts to constrict or narrow, diverting blood away from areas where it is not as active during exertion
The conditioned heart
A conditioned heart is stronger and better able to meet the demands the body places on it. Human bodies were designed to be in motion. And the motion of physical activity keeps the heart well tuned, the benefits of which are numerous:- Literally hundreds of studies have shown that individuals who adopt the simple habit of daily physical activity substantially reduce their risk of developing various heart problems, most notably coronary artery disease.
- The conditioned heart enables individuals to accomplish the activities of daily living with comfort and without running out of breath and energy.
- The more conditioned the heart, the lower the resting heart rate, and the less work the heart has to do in a lifetime.
- Studies also show that, with appropriate activity, hearts damaged by disease or injury can regain conditioning that enhances health and function and may even contribute to the reversal of some aspects of disease.
The deconditioned heart
In contrast to the active individual, the individual who leads a sedentary lifestyle can actually experience a deconditioned heart. The deconditioned heart is less efficient at doing its work and has to work harder to get adequate blood flow throughout the body. You're a prime candidate for a deconditioned heart if you answer "yes" to these questions or others like them:- Do you avoid the stairs because climbing two or three flights leaves you extremely short of breath?
- Do you circle a parking lot numerous times looking for a space right in front of the store to make sure that you don't have to walk much?
- Do you watch sports on television rather than participate in them with friends and family?
- On a nice day, do you pop a DVD into the player rather than take a walk?