SLASH Heart Risks in a FRACTION of the Time

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of weekly exercise to boost heart health.

But let’s face it.

If you’re overweight and out of shape, just thinking about doing that much exercise can be overwhelming.

The good news? It only takes a fraction of that time to make a dramatic difference in your heart health.

A recent study published in the European Heart Journal took a novel look at exercise and heart health.

Researchers tracked movement patterns throughout the day instead of assessing the benefits of a set amount of exercise time.

Unsurprisingly, they discovered moderate to vigorous activity had the most significant positive impact on heart health.

But they ALSO found that light activity, standing, and even sleeping are also good for your heart.

And sedentary behavior, as expected, was detrimental.

Next, the researchers assessed what would happen if one behavior was exchanged for another.

Adding in as little as 5 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity to your daily routine could have a measurable impact on heart health if it REPLACES sedentary behavior.

However, the biggest benefit occurred when sitting was replaced with more vigorous activity. This could include a brisk walk, climbing stairs, or any other activity you enjoy that increases your heart rate.

In general, those who were the least active benefitted the most when they moved more.

For example, replacing 30 minutes of sitting with moderate or intensity exercise led to a 2.4 percent decrease in BMI (body mass index), a 2.7 percent decrease in waist circumference, and a 3.6 percent decrease in glycated hemoglobin (a measure of blood sugar).

This translates to measurable decreases in your risk of heart attack and stroke.

However, it’s worth noting that this is NOT a one-and-done situation. You’ll only get the benefits of movement if it’s a lifestyle change and you do it regularly.

But the BIG takeaway is it doesn’t take much effort to get significant benefits .

P.S. Supercharge your exercise routine REGARDLESS of what you choose to do. (Easy!)

SOURCE:

Joanna M Blodgett, et. al., “Device-measured physical activity and cardiometabolic health: the Prospective Physical Activity, Sitting, and Sleep (ProPASS) consortium,” European Heart Journal, 2023, ehad717, doi. org /10.1093/eurheartj/ehad717