Three heart-healthy exercise routines
If you're one of the 25% to 30% of U.S. adults who are sedentary, not getting even the minimum recommended 30 minutes of daily motion, you're setting yourself up for a roster of chronic conditions, starting with heart disease -- and heading to dementia, cancer, and joint woes.
Well, if you would like to change your ways and improve your heart health, a meta-review of exercise-related studies published in Advances in Integrative Medicine offers interesting guidance. The researchers from India compared data on yoga, tai chi, Pilates and interval training and found that tai chi, Pilates and interval training are effective ways to keep your arteries flexible and open. Less effective? Yoga.
What Pilates, tai chi and interval training have in common is that they combine slow and steady movement with bursts of extra effort that are both aerobic and muscle-building (suitable to your strength and age). That allows the heart to strengthen without overdoing it. Multiple studies showed that those three forms of activity increase both dilation and flexibility of blood vessels.
It can be tough to get started. First, start walking. Count your steps and never do less today than you did yesterday -- until you get over 8,000 daily. Then, aim for 10,000 a day. I recommend you find an exercise buddy or group, class or instructor; make a schedule and commit to the plan. Next, experiment with different activities, both aerobics and strength-building, until you find ones you love. And check out my book, "The RealAge Workout: Maximum Health, Minimum Work."
Health pioneer Michael Roizen, M.D., is chief wellness officer emeritus at the Cleveland Clinic and author of four No. 1 New York Times bestsellers. Check out his latest, "The Great Age Reboot: Cracking the Longevity Code for a Younger Tomorrow," and find out more at www.4YOUngevity.com. Email your health and wellness questions to Dr. Mike at questions@4YOUngevity.com.
(c)2023 Michael Roizen, M.D.
Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
(c) 2025 Michael Roizen, M.D. Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.
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