Whether you have recently undergone a heart surgery or you experience chest pains from time to time, it is important to take cognizance of the discomforts and work towards making them better. A common misconception is that people with heart ailments should not move too much as that puts a lot of pressure on the chest muscles. This is absolutely false. Rather, a heart patient must increase his physical activities to pump in more vigour and power into the heart muscles and the arteries around them. These activities, however, must be monitored and be mild enough to keep further complications away.
Physical activities for a heart patient
- Walking: Walking is the best and one of the safest exercises for a heart patient. If you have recently undergone a procedure or suffered a heart-attack, then start off by walking very slowly. Gradually increase the number of steps you take and also your pace. Walking helps in regulating your heartbeat and also strengthens your heart muscles.
- Jogging: Slow jogs can also be very helpful for a heart patient. Do not start jogging very fast as that may increase your heartbeat by quite an amount. Jogging helps you to lose weight and thereby decreases your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. All these factors, in turn, improve the health of your heart. Like running, jogging can also be done slowly and briefly initially. Increase the momentum gradually.
- Swimming: Swimming is a great exercise as it regulates your heart rate and it is immensely relaxing at the same time. Since stress is a major enemy of the heart, you can go for a refreshing swim to keep your stress levels under control. Start off by swimming in a pool as opposed to in a lake or in the ocean. This is because as a heart patient, it is important for you to be in a safe place under guidance at all times.
- Low intensity aerobics: This must strictly be done under the guidance of a trainer. The trainer can guide you and show you the steps that can help you improve the health of your heart. Aerobics is nothing but exercising with music and can be effective and relaxing at the same time.
Always remember…
Always remember to exercise only after speaking to your healthcare provider. Get an approval on the kind of exercises you want to do. If you are joining a gym, a swimming class or a dance course, inform the trainers about your condition. Do not work out without keeping the medical guidelines in mind.
Conclusion
Weight gain, hypertension, stress, high cholesterol and high blood sugar are common factors that contribute towards a weak heart. If you exercise properly, you can control and even fix all these health issues efficiently. This will subsequently improve the overall health of your heart and give you a fresh lease of life. So whether you have undergone some heart treatment or you fear you are at risk for heart ailments, start exercising today. There is no alternative to exercising and a few steps and moves here and there can make your heart healthy again.
