Other Strategies To Prevent Heart Disease

Eat a heart-healthy diet

Consistently eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish can also reduce your risk of heart disease.

Limiting your intake of certain fats is also important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and trans fat — saturated fat and trans fat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels. Saturated fat is the more worrisome offender because foods containing this type of fat are more prevalent in typical diets. Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils.

Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people, for instance, need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day.

There's a huge amount of data to suggest that fruits and vegetables are highly effective in preventing not just cardiovascular disease, but cancer and other diseases as well."

Omega-3 fatty acids, a type of polyunsaturated fat, may decrease your risk of heart attack, protect against irregular heartbeats and lower blood pressure. Some fish are a good natural source of omega-3s. However, pregnant women and women of childbearing age should avoid shark, swordfish, king mackerel and tilefish because they contain levels of mercury high enough to pose a danger to a developing fetus. Omega-3s are present in smaller amounts in flaxseed oil, walnut oil, soybean oil and canola oil, and they can also be found in supplements.

Maintain a healthy weight

As you put on weight in adulthood, you gain mostly fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease — high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

How do you know if your weight is healthy? One way is to calculate your body mass index (BMI), which considers your height and weight in determining whether you have a healthy or unhealthy percentage of body fat. BMI numbers 25 and higher are associated with higher blood fats, higher blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. The BMI is a good but imperfect guide. Muscle weighs more than fat, for instance, and women and men who are very muscular and physically fit can have high BMIs without added health risks. Because of that, waist circumference is also a useful tool to assess abdominal fat. In general, men are considered overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 40 inches. And women, in general, are overweight if their waist measurement is greater than 35 inches.

Even small reductions in weight can be beneficial. Reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

Get regular health screenings

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage your cardiovascular system, including your heart. But without testing for them, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions. Regular screening can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action.

Blood pressure.

Regular blood pressure screenings start in childhood. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least every two years. You may need more frequent checks if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury.

Cholesterol levels.

Adults should have their cholesterol measured at least once every five years. You may need more frequent testing if your numbers aren't optimal or if you have other risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Some children may need their blood cholesterol tested.

Prevention pays

Heart disease is often avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated, and it doesn't mean you need to live a life of self-deprivation. Instead, find ways to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle — and you may well enjoy a healthier life for years to come.

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Strategies You Can Adopt Today To Prevent Heart Disease.

Heart disease is often preventable by following a heart-healthy lifestyle. There are few strategies we can adopt to protect our heart.

Heart disease may be the leading cause of death for both men and women, but that doesn't mean we have to accept it as our fate. Although we are lack the power to change some risk factors — such as family history, age and race — we can always control our lifestyle choices.

Take steps to avoid heart disease by not smoking, getting regular exercise and eating healthy foods. Prevent heart problems in the future by adopting a healthy lifestyle today. Here are strategies to get you started.

1. Don't smoke or use tobacco products.

If you smoke, quit. That's the most powerful, preventable risk factor for heart disease.

No amount of smoking is safe. Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes are also risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke.

Tobacco smoke contains more than 4,800 chemicals. Many of these can damage your heart and blood vessels, making them more vulnerable to narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis). Atherosclerosis can ultimately lead to a heart attack.

In addition, the nicotine in cigarette smoke makes your heart work harder by constricting blood vessels and increasing your heart rate and blood pressure. Carbon monoxide in cigarette smoke replaces some of the oxygen in your blood. This increases your blood pressure by forcing your heart to work harder to supply enough oxygen.

Women who smoke and take birth control pills are at even greater risk of having a heart attack or stroke than are those who don't do either. Worse, this risk increases with age, especially over 35.

The good news, though, is that when you quit smoking, your risk of heart disease drops dramatically within just one year. And no matter how long or much you smoke, you'll start reaping rewards as soon as you quit.

Look out for other strategies in my next article.

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Controlling Blood Pressure is Fundamental to Good Health

by Richard Pagano

One of the most serious health concerns is hypertension, or high blood
pressure. It is a silent killer because it affects the heart and circulatory system without any external symptoms. Unless they go for regular physical examinations, most people with high or dangerously high blood pressure don't know that they have it. As dangerous as it is, it is also very controllable.

Certainly it can be assumed that some are more prone to hypertension than others. That said, the most important factor that contributes to the condition is diet. As the diet has gotten worse, more sugar, more processed foods, less vegetables and of course a lot more salt, the incidence of hypertension has skyrocketed. Adding to the problem is the fact that those most at risk are usually people over forty with other conditions such as diabetes.

Anyone serious about lowering their blood pressure to a normal range needs to first take an active role in modifying their diet. First and foremost is to become conscious of the amount of salt they take in. That includes the table salt that they add to their food from the salt shaker as well as the salt already in the food. Most people have no idea that, due to their food choices, they can be consuming three or four times the recommended daily amount of sodium without adding one grain of salt from a shaker.

Frozen and canned foods should be entirely eliminated, especially for people in the dangerously high blood pressure camp. Instead diets should be more heavily focused on fresh vegetables and lean meats seasoned with other types of herbs and seasonings other than salt. Things like curry, chili powder (low or no salt versions), and lemon pepper can enhance the flavor of food without the need for salt. It will take time for the taste buds to be satisfied in a new low salt environment, but it will be worth it in the long run.

The great thing about making these small but important adjustments is that you will, in most cases, see results very quickly. Severely reducing sodium and increasing higher quality foods will have a positive impact that will be evident in the next blood pressure reading that you get. To boost the benefits of your new diet, try walking or some other low impact regular exercise a few times a week.

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What Raises and Lowers Your Blood Pressure.

by Oscar Wilde

Your blood pressure naturally goes up and down but there are factors that can cause a permanent rise. However, knowing what makes it go up can be a life saver. If you are able to control these factors, you can live a long life without having to take pills to control your hypertension. Continue reading this article to learn the common causes that raise you to hypertensive levels and also learn of an info guide that can show you how to lower and control your blood pressure naturally.

First and foremost I think everyone knows that salt raises their blood pressure. You probably have been told by your doctor to cut down the consumption of it. However, do you ever wonder how is it that salt raises the pressure in your blood? Let me tell you how it does it. First, the salt is difficult to process by your liver so it swims around in the blood stream for longer periods of time. Next the salt absorbs water and when it does, it increases the pressure in your blood stream. Your heart has to work harder to pump the blood around your body.

That is how salt raises your blood pressure. Another think that raises your blood pressure is smoking! When you smoke, your lungs inhale the tobacco smoke and your oxygen levels drop. This means your blood stream will have less oxygen running through it and this translated into your heart working harder to pump blood around your body. At all costs try to avoid smoking. It is the number cause for heart disease in the United States.

There are natural ways to lower your hypertension. It does not all have to be bad tasting food. In fact, did you know that chocolate can actually lower you hypertension? I think everyone agrees that chocolate is yummy.

You can learn other natural ways to lower and control your blood pressure. 

Don't delay. Click Here! right now

High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)

Factors That Cause High Blood Pressure.

Reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure by changing some lifestyle habits. It'll directly translate into a longer, healthier life.

From your daily routine and habits to your health status and genetic heritage, many factors can raise your blood pressure. Obesity, kidney disease all put you at higher risk, for instance, and can lead to full-fledged high blood pressure (hypertension).

Understand what your risk factors are so that you can help prevent or delay the onset of high blood pressure and its life-threatening complications.

Lifestyle habits that can raise your blood pressure.

You've heard it before — your lifestyle has a big impact on your health. It's no different with high blood pressure. Some of the lifestyle factors that can contribute to high blood pressure include:

 1. Excess weight

2. Lack of exercise

3. Unhealthy diet

4. Stress

5. Tobacco products

The good news is that by making even small changes to your lifestyle, you can reap big rewards for your health.

Medical conditions that can raise your blood pressure.

Certain medical conditions can cause high blood pressure. This type of high blood pressure is called secondary hypertension. Some of the numerous conditions that can cause secondary hypertension include:

1. Polycystic kidney disease

2. Cushing's disease

3. Coarctation of the aorta

By effectively treating these medical conditions, you can typically get your blood pressure under control or even cure it.

Medications, supplements and illicit drugs that can raise your blood pressure.

Certain prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs, supplements and other substances can induce or worsen high blood pressure or interfere with the action of medications you're taking to lower your blood pressure.

Among these numerous substances are:

1. Certain antidepressants

2. Certain cold medicines

3. Certain oral contraceptives

One obvious solution is to avoid illicit drugs, as well as unnecessary medications. In addition, talk to your doctor about medications or other substances that could affect your blood pressure.

Risks you can't change that can raise your blood pressure.

Unfortunately, there are several risk factors which you cannot control that may increase your risk of high blood pressure.

Having a family history of high blood pressure.

If you have any uncontrollable risk factors, don't simply assume you'll get high blood pressure eventually, no matter what efforts you make. That's not true. You may be able to compensate by changing the risk factors you can control.

Knowing your risks can help you prevent high blood pressure.

You may find all of these risk factors daunting. However, even if you have uncontrollable risk factors, it doesn't mean you're destined to get high blood pressure. If you know what your risks are, you can work harder to prevent high blood pressure or delay its onset. And that means you can avoid or delay getting the many serious complications high blood pressure can cause, such as stroke, heart attack, dementia and blindness.

Overweight Health Hazard

With the introduction of labor-saving machinery, such as televisions, cars, computers, elevators, electrical and household goods, the use of the physical demands of the activity is almost unthinkable. This reduction in calorie intake with no corresponding reduction in caloric intake has produced an epidemic of obesity. The whole tragedy is that few people understand the health risks of obesity.

Diabetes Type II is the most common form of diabetes affecting the majority of the American people. It is also maturity onset diabetes or non insulin diabetes. Type II diabetes leads to drastic changes in the levels of blood glucose throughout the day. This may result in more heart disease, kidney disease, premature death, stroke and even lead to blindness. Losing weight has been observed with appropriate exercises, the most effective method of prevention and treatment, in some cases, diabetes type II.

Additional Health Problem Relating to Obesity

Heart disease is one of the most common health risk of  being obese. Obesity significantly increases the likelihood of cardiovascular problems which is heart failure, myocardial infarction, angina (chest pain), cause the arrest or cardiac arrhythmia. Weight loss in this situation not only prevent these diseases, but for a normalization of blood pressure, cholesterol level and triglycerides, and moderate inflammation in the body.

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death in the United States and is often the result of fat cells influences the growth of cells and multiply beyond the capacity. Colon, esophagus, kidneys are the most common affected body parts. Given that obesity has contributed more to the uterus other than postmenopausal breast cancer in  women.

Sleep apnea, Osteoarthritis plus further Health Difficulties

In sleep apnea, the patient experience short  breathing during the night. In turn, makes that person tired during the day, making it difficult for him to concentrate on work. In many cases, patients with heart failure found with this disease. The short duration of breath is due to the increased in size of the cells of the throat, blocking the airway, at specified intervals. Fall in weight can reduce the size of the neck and thus the pressure on the trachea and make breathe easily.

Osteoarthritis is a disease risk for overweight. In this disease, including joint and bone tissue that shield joints (cartilage), protection from degradation. The bones of many common parts of the body such as hips, knees and lower back are the objectives, particularly osteoarthritis. Obesity places more weight on joints, which can lead to this situation for long. Weight reduction has bring down the body fat and reduce the discomfort and pain.

Excess fat accumulates in liver cells and causes the liver to swell, which could cause injury. This leads to fatty liver. This condition can lead to severe liver failure, consisting of scar tissue that prevents blood flow in the direction of the liver (cirrhosis) and complete liver failure. It is quite similar to alcoholic liver damage, however, it does not necessarily mean that it can't affect those of non consumption of alcohol.

The Link Between Diabetes and Obesity

by Sue Kennedy

The link between diabetes and obesity is that food supplies allow people to eat more kilojoules than they should, and this can lead to obesity, which is a condition of excessive fat. There are a few different types of diabetes, however obesity is associated mostly with type 2 diabetes than any of the other types.

Sadly, diabetes is a worldwide epidemic that shows 246 million people have been diagnosed to date and by 2025 there will be over 300 million people with diabetes. This disease can cause heart disease, kidney failure, blindness and possible amputation of limbs, this disease is a killer and we need to fight it head on.

Studies have shown that where there is food of all types readily available, the rate of diabetes is high. Therefore, this is the link between diabetes and obesity.

In Australia and New Zealand one in four adults are affected by diabetes or pre-diabetes. Sadly, over 300 people every day, including children are being diagnosed with diabetes, this is a staggering amount and we need to stop this number from increasing at such a rapid pace.

One of the most important ways to do this is to educate people on the link between diabetes and obesity, which is a healthy lifestyle with the right nutritious foods and exercise. People need to monitor their blood glucose levels just the same as they do their cholesterol.

As well as a nutritious diet and exercise a person needs to modify their behaviour in respect to the type of foods that they consume, by achieving this behaviour towards food, you will be able to stick to your diet much easier and maintain a healthy weight. Following are some guidelines that can be quite helpful:

• Eat your meals at regular intervals and set times
• Eat your meals slowly, making them last longer
• Do not have serving plates on the dinner table, this way you cannot be tempted to have seconds
• Do not have a side plate of bread on the dinner table
• Set yourself some realistic goals for losing weight
• You don't need to eat everything that is on your plate
• When you are dining out, be conscious of alcohol, bread and salad dressings
• Buy some body weights and carry them around with you so that you can understand the extra weight and how good it will feel to be rid of your own weight
• When you are shopping for food, make a list of what ingredients you require and only have enough money to cover items from that list, and
• Most importantly, avoid foods that are no good for you, for example, processed foods, fried foods and quick fix foods that contain ingredients that have no nutritional value at all

It is important to remember the link between diabetes and obesity and maintain a healthy lifestyle so that you can avoid all the deadly complications that can occur with diabetes.

Weight Loss - Obesity

Obesity is more than a cosmetic concern. Being seriously overweight puts you at greater risk of developing high blood pressure and many other serious health risks. Ultimately, obesity can even be life-threatening. Annually in the United States, more than 300,000 deaths are linked to obesity.

The good news is that even a modest weight loss can bring health improvements. In many cases, you can accomplish this by eating healthier, exercising and changing behaviors. For people who don't respond to lifestyle changes, prescription medications and surgical techniques are available to enhance the weight-loss process.

Causes

Obesity involves having an abnormally high proportion of body fat. Doctors define obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher and overweight as having a BMI of 25 or higher.

Weight is largely determined by how you balance your intake of calories from food with the energy you use in everyday activities. If you consume more calories than you use, you gain weight. Your body stores calories that you don't need for energy as fat.

Fat is important for storing energy and insulating your body, among other functions. The human body can handle carrying some extra fat, but beyond a certain point, body fat can begin to interfere with your health.

Eating too many calories and not getting enough physical activity are the main causes of obesity, especially in combination. But many factors can contribute to obesity.

Risk factors

Factors that increase your risk of being obese include:

1. Diet.

Regular consumption of high-calorie foods, such as fast foods, contributes to weight gain. High-fat foods are dense in calories. Loading up on soft drinks, candy and desserts also promotes weight gain. Foods and beverages like these are high in sugar and calories.

2. Inactivity.

Sedentary people are more likely to gain weight because they don't burn calories through physical activities.

3. Psychological factors.

Some people overeat to cope with problems or deal with emotions, such as stress or boredom.

4. Genetics.

If one or both of your parents are obese, your chances of being overweight are greater. Your genes may affect the amount of body fat you store and where that fat is distributed. But, your genetic makeup doesn't guarantee that you'll be obese.

5. Age.

As you get older, you tend to be less active. In addition, the amount of muscle in your body tends to decrease with age. This lower muscle mass leads to a decrease in metabolism. These changes also reduce calorie needs. If you don't decrease your caloric intake as you age, you'll likely gain weight.

6. Cigarette smoking.

Smokers tend to gain weight after quitting. This weight gain may be partially due to nicotine's ability to raise the rate at which your body burns calories (metabolic rate). When smokers stop, they burn fewer calories. Smoking also affects taste; quitting smoking makes food taste and smell better. Former smokers often gain weight because they eat more after they quit. However, cigarette smoking is still considered a greater threat to your health than is extra weight.

7. Pregnancy.

During pregnancy a woman's weight necessarily increases. Some women find this weight difficult to lose after the baby is born. This weight gain may contribute to the development of obesity in women.

8. Medications.

Corticosteroids and tricyclic antidepressants, in particular, can lead to weight gain. So can some high blood pressure and antipsychotic medications.

9.Medical problems.

Uncommonly, obesity can be traced to a medical cause, such as low thyroid function, excess production of hormones by the adrenal glands (Cushing's syndrome) or other hormonal imbalances, such as polycystic ovary syndrome. A low metabolic rate is rarely a cause of obesity. A medical problem, such as arthritis, can also lead to decreased activity, which can result in weight gain.

10. Alcohol.

Drinking alcohol adds calories to your diet — just one regular beer is about 150 calories. If you don't cut back somewhere else, adding just one beer daily could cause a weight gain of more than one pound a month. Additionally, excessive drinking can stimulate your appetite and make you less likely to control portion sizes.

When to seek medical advice.

How do you know whether you need to lose weight for medical reasons? These evaluations can help provide the answer:

Body mass index (BMI).

The BMI is a formula that uses weight and height to estimate body fat and health risks. If your BMI is between 19 and 24, you're considered in a healthy weight range for your height. If your BMI is between 25 and 29, you're considered overweight. And, if the figure is 30 or greater, you're considered obese and should talk to your doctor about losing weight for your health.

Waist circumference.

If you carry most of your fat around your waist or upper body, you may be referred to as apple shaped. If you carry most of your fat around your hips and thighs or lower body, you may be referred to as pear shaped. Generally, when it comes to your health, it's better to have the shape of a pear than the shape of an apple. If you have an apple shape — a potbelly or spare tire — you carry more fat in and around your abdominal organs. Abdominal fat increases your risk of many of the serious conditions associated with obesity. Women's waist measurements should be less than 35 inches. Men's should be less than 40 inches. If you have a large waist circumference, talk to your doctor about weight loss.

Talking to your doctor openly and honestly about your weight is one of the best things you can do for your health. The more your weight increases, the more medical problems you may face.

Also, talk to your doctor if you have weight-related medical conditions, such as high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, diabetes and arthritis. These health conditions may improve if you're able to lose weight.

In my next articles I will show the complication for being obese. See you then.

Aerobic Exercise For Health

Aerobic exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and improves blood flow. Health benefits are numerous, including disease prevention and management.

Is 30 minutes a day of aerobic exercise the magic bullet you've been looking for? With benefits ranging from heart disease prevention to stress reduction, it's one of the best things you can do for your health.

Aerobic exercise — a type of movement such as walking or bicycling that gets your heart pumping and increases your oxygen intake — can help you live longer and healthier and can help you prevent and manage chronic health conditions. Take a look at the many benefits associated with aerobic exercise. Get motivated to reap the rewards.

How your body responds to aerobic exercise.

During aerobic exercise, you repeatedly move large muscles in your arms, legs and hips. Aerobic fitness, also called cardiovascular fitness, refers to the ability of your heart, blood vessels and lungs (cardiovascular system) to supply fuel during sustained physical activity.

When you're aerobically fit, your body more efficiently takes in and uses oxygen to sustain movement more efficiently. To sustain repetitive muscle movement, your body:

1. Takes in more oxygen. You breathe faster and more deeply to maximize the amount of oxygen in your blood stream.

2. Pumps blood faster and more forcefully. To produce energy and deliver oxygen more effectively to the rest of your body, your heart beats faster. The force of each beat of your heart increases to maximize blood flow to your muscles and back to your lungs.

3. Increases the diameter and number of small blood vessels. To get more oxygen to your muscles, small blood vessels (capillaries) dilate and carry away waste products, such as carbon dioxide and lactic acid. Over time, more capillaries will actually develop in the muscle to provide for more efficient oxygen delivery and waste removal.

4. Avoids overheating. Your body warms up when you repeatedly move your muscles. To compensate for the rise in temperature, your body releases heat into the air as you breathe out. You also lose heat, water and minerals as you sweat.

5. Releases endorphins. Regular aerobic exercise releases endorphins, your body's natural painkillers.

Your body is a complex machine that will get stronger and more efficient as it adapts to a regular program of aerobic exercise.

Aerobic exercise helps you live longer, live healthier.

Taking part in regularly scheduled aerobic exercise can help you prevent certain diseases and manage others. It can also help you feel better.

Prevent certain diseases and conditions.

Aerobic exercise can help:

1. Reduce your risk of coronary artery disease. Heart disease is one of the top causes of death for men and women in the United States. If you've had a heart attack, achieving a higher level of aerobic fitness can help prevent a second attack.

2. Reduce your risk of developing hypertension (high blood pressure). If you have high blood pressure, aerobic exercise can help lower it.

3. Improve blood fats. Exercise increases the concentration of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol) and decreases the concentration of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol) in your blood.

4. Reduce your risk of stroke. Improving blood fats results in less build-up of plaques in your arteries. Deposits of plaques in blood vessels leading to your brain can result in a stroke.

5. Reduce your risk of developing some cancers, including breast, colon, prostate and endometrial cancer.

6. Reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Aerobic exercise helps you control your weight, reducing the likelihood of your being overweight or obese, conditions that can lead to type 2 diabetes.

7. Ward off viral illnesses. Aerobic exercise helps activate your immune system and prepare it to fight off infection. People who exercise regularly are less susceptible to minor viral illnesses, such as colds and flu.

Manage diseases and conditions.

Aerobic exercise can help:

1. Lower your blood sugar levels if you have diabetes. Keeping your blood sugar within target range can help you avoid long-term complications of diabetes, such as kidney failure or heart disease.

2. Manage your weight. Combined with a healthy diet and appropriate strength training, aerobic exercise can help you lose weight or maintain a healthy weight.

3. Strengthen your heart muscle. A stronger heart can pump more blood for every heartbeat, which means your heart doesn't need to beat as fast during rest or exercise.

4. Improve blood flow to all parts of your body. A stronger heart muscle pumps blood more efficiently.

5. Relieve chronic muscle pain and fibromyalgia. Aerobic exercise stimulates the growth of tiny blood vessels (capillaries) in your muscles. This helps your body deliver oxygen to your muscles more efficiently and remove irritating metabolic waste products, such as lactic acid.

6. Boost your mood. Aerobic exercise can ease the gloominess of depression and the tension associated with anxiety.

7. Build strong bones. Weight-bearing aerobic exercise, such as walking, can reduce your risk of osteoporosis and its complications. Low-impact aerobic exercises — such as swimming, cycling and pool exercises — can help keep you fit without putting excessive stress on your joints, making these exercises good choices if you have conditions such as arthritis.

Feel better and enjoy life more.

Aerobic exercise can help:

1. Increase your stamina. Aerobic exercise may make you tired during and right after the activity. But over the long term it can increase your stamina and reduce fatigue.

2. Manage your stress. A session of aerobic exercise after a stressful workday can help you relax.

3. Improve your sexual performance. In 2003, scientists at Harvard School of Public Health found that men who ran at least three hours each week reported sexual functioning like that of men two to five years younger.

Stay active and independent as you get older.

Aerobic exercise can help you:

1. Maintain your mobility. Maintaining a program of regular aerobic exercise keeps your muscles efficient and strong, which can help you stay steady on your feet as you get older. If you rely on a wheelchair, aerobic exercise that focuses on your arms, shoulders and upper body — rowing or cross-country skiing using a sit-ski, for example — can help your upper body stay strong while improving your cardiovascular health.

2. Stay independent. As you age, aerobic exercise can help your muscles stay strong, which will help you avoid falls and fractures.

3. Extend your lifespan. People who engage in cardiovascular exercise appear to live longer than those who don't.

Regardless of your age, weight or athletic ability, aerobic exercise is good for you. Is there a particular health benefit that motivates you to get moving?

Many ways to achieve aerobic fitness.

Achieving a higher level of aerobic fitness can be fun because there are many activities from which to choose. Among the many options are:

Walking

Aerobic dance

Swimming

Bicycling

Cross-country skiing

Running

Jogging

Aquatic exercise

Dancing

Stair climbing

Elliptical training

Rowing

Walking is a popular form of aerobic exercise. It's simple and inexpensive. All you need is a pair of comfortable walking shoes that fit your feet. You can even benefit from time spent doing routine aerobic activities such as gardening or housework.

Get your body moving to experience the health benefits.

You now know about the health benefits of aerobic exercise and how it affects your body. Let the health benefits inspire you to seek a higher level of aerobic fitness. Live longer and stay healthier with just 30 minutes a day.

Wish you good health always.

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise.

You already know that exercise is good for you. But you may not realize just how good it is for you.

Regularly participating in moderately vigorous exercise can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease by nearly a quarter. And when you combine exercise with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, the payoff is even greater.

Regular exercise helps prevent heart disease by increasing blood flow to your heart and strengthening your heart's contractions so that your heart pumps more blood with less effort. Physical activity also helps you control your weight and can reduce your chances of developing other conditions that may put a strain on your heart, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Exercise can also reduce stress, which may also be a factor in heart disease.

Guidelines recommend that you get at least 30 to 60 minutes of moderately intense physical activity most days of the week. However, even shorter amounts of exercise offer heart benefits, so if you can't meet those guidelines, don't simply give up on exercise entirely. And remember that things like gardening, housekeeping, taking the stairs and walking the dog all count toward your total. You don't have to exercise strenuously to achieve benefits, but you can see bigger benefits by increasing the intensity, duration and frequency of your workouts.

So lets us realised the importance of exercise as a way of life. Happy exercising !!

So You Want To Be Fit ?

Fitness refers to ability of the body to function with vigor and alertness. Nutrition refers to the nurturing of our body, in our ability to keep it healthy and functioning as it is supposed to do. Our ability to provide the body with all the necessary food, vitamins, and minerals so that we continue to thrive in our daily life processes. But do we know if we are really fit? How do we tell?

First, you might want to look at your exercise habits, if there are any. If there aren't any exercise routines to examine, therefore no fitness.

Everyone, no matter what their age, benefits from exercise. It keeps our bodies conditioned, our mental sharpness working at top speed, and thanks to the physical aspect, we get a boost to our cardio health, extra calorie burn, and more oxygen to those cells!

Do you take in more calories than your body needs? Are you supplementing your vitamins and minerals to make sure you are getting your recommended daily allowances? If you're not making the most basic of efforts to take care of your nutritional needs, you aren't a fit individual. You may not look sick, you may not have any noticeable symptoms of ill-health, but you're not the fit and toned individual you could be.

What about the stress levels in your life? Do work in an environment with high levels of stress? Is your personal life a source of comfort or does it add to your stress levels? Do you engage in some form of stress-relieving activity? Stress is one of the contributor to heart attacks and strokes, since they manage to speed up the affect of the real culprits. Stress is basically an out of control situation for most adults today. We manage to schedule every moment of our free time, and leave ourselves with no time for quiet reflection, or time to deal with life's unexpected emergencies.

Fitness requires us to examine more than just our exercise routine. The mere definition of fitness refers to the body's ability to meet physical stresses. That includes coping with our day to day life, getting from the beginning of the day to the end, without being worn completely out.

In order to be truly fit, we find ways to rid ourselves of built up stress, the kind that begins to affect our muscles, muscle tone, and composition. Massages are the best cure for ridding our bodies of the stress buildup that can occur, even with exercise regimens and detract from our overall fitness. Exercises that demand total body involvement are the best for maintaining and improving your level of fitness most effectively. Running, swimming, jogging, dancing, cycling, and very brisk walking are some of the more popular total body involvement exercises.

There are so many occasions to stop and question our efforts at maintaining optimal health, that we usually don't even take the time to begin the examination. But it is beneficial to our overall health, the quality and quantity of our life, to make every effort to be fit, healthy, individuals.

So ask yourself "Are You Fit?"