How Does Exercise Improve Cardio Health?

Living life to the fullest means not only looking your best but also feeling really good every day. When cardio health is at its optimum, your whole body is invigorated as it depends on oxygen-rich blood flow to nourish its functions.

In this article, we’ll cover how exercise helps you reach your optimum cardio health so that you can have the information you need to get motivated to develop daily routines that will help you live your best life.

Statistics in the United States

To give you a perspective of the impact cardio health has on individuals and collectively on citizens of the United States, let’s review the following health statistics by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Leading Cause of Death

In the whole United States, the leading cause of death for most racial and ethnic groups is heart disease and applies to both men and women. Heart disease encompasses different types of heart conditions, with CAD (coronary artery disease) as the most common.

Exercise is What the Doctor Orders

Besides having good nutrition, exercise helps cardiovascular health, it is a key component of maintaining a healthy heart and cardio condition. Even as little as 30 minutes most days of the week, can greatly improve your health profile in clinical tests that monitor blood pressure, cholesterol, BMI (body mass index), and other assessments related to cardiovascular health.

An article published by Harvard Medical School states that exercise is medicine, a catchphrase now used by doctors, personal trainers, and other professionals that promote health. A Harvard Medical School professor, Dr. I-Min Lee, says that exercise is even better than prescription medications, it is free and has very few side effects.

When it comes to cardiovascular health and exercise, it is wise to listen to what doctors recommend. A sedentary life that involves little or no physical activity can put you at high risk of falling victim to cardio disease.

Exercise Helps Cardiovascular Health

Your heart is a muscle and just like the other muscles in your body when it is exercised it becomes stronger and more efficient. This gives it the ability to pump a higher amount of oxygen-rich blood to the rest of your body with each heartbeat. This causes it to be able to beat slower because it doesn’t have to work as hard, and thus it lowers your blood pressure.

As your heart gets stronger and your blood pumps more efficiently, all of your body’s blood vessels become more fit as well. This prevents clogs from forming and allows you to endure stress and other demanding conditions.

Since your body enjoys more oxygenation, all cells, tissues, and organ systems work at their best. Your overall health improves even mentally because your brain dictates your mood and overall feeling of wellbeing.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Exercise

Taking care of your body through regular exercise and a balanced diet sets you up for a lifestyle conducive to a healthy cardiovascular system. According to John Hopkins Medicine, exercise improves your cardiovascular system in the following ways:

Lowers Blood Pressure

Just as a beta-blocker prescription medication works to lower your blood pressure, so does exercising regularly. Since high blood pressure is a major risk for cardiovascular disease, keeping it under control will help ensure life-long health.

Helps You Maintain a Healthy Weight

Being overweight means that you’ve accumulated excessive fat deposits. This accumulated fat encases your internal organs putting them at risk for malfunctioning. People who are chronically overweight are at risk for stroke, heart attacks, and other diseases. The more your weight is under control, the less your heart will stress.

Muscle Strength Increases

When you adopt an exercise regimen, all of your muscles become stronger. This improves your muscle’s ability to extract oxygen from your bloodstream, which alleviates the work your heart has to accomplish the same thing. Regardless of your age, when your muscles are strong, you’ll be more oxygenated.

Exercise Aids in Leading a Healthy Lifestyle

Having an exercise routine makes you feel high on life, literally. Endorphins surge through your body to give you a feeling of wellbeing and exhilaration. You’ll find that you won’t rely on the destructive habits you once used to bring some relief to your life. Habits such as smoking, drinking alcohol, staying up late because you’re restless at night, or doing other compulsive rituals that are not good for your health will be a thing of the past.

How Can a Personal Trainer Improve Your Health?

Now that you know through statistics and other studies how important exercise is for cardio health, the next step is to implement a program that you can stick to each week.

Having an assessment with a personal trainer can give you the professional guidance you need to get started on your way to better health. Starting a new exercise program without guidance can lead to injury and inefficiency, which can cause you to abandon your plan.

An experienced and professionally trained exercise coach can help you design an appropriate program based on your current fitness level and health goals. He/she will help you progress safely and can find ways for you to engage in fun activities that will make the whole experience enjoyable.

Get Your Body Moving

Are you ready to take your body to a healthier cardiovascular condition? Our health experts are ready to guide you with routines that you can immediately implement. Reach out by filling out the online form or email and tell us about your goals and start exercise to help cardiovascular health.