Time to dedicate ourselves to the fight against heart disease — the nation’s No. 1 killer. And the best way to do it is diet and exercise. As the American Heart Association says: Scientific research and evidence-based interventions to prevent or treat heart attacks and strokes have played an important part in making these strides, the proclamation reads. So have technology developments and the discovery of early markers of heart disease, which have led to earlier diagnosis and treatment.
Even if you’ve developed bad habits or not lived a heart-healthy lifestyle, it’s still not too late! Research recently showed that middle-aged couch potatoes who participate in two years of regular aerobic exercise training can improve their risk of heart failure.
Study participants – ages 45-64 — who adhered to the aerobic exercise regimen had significant improvements in how their body used oxygen and had decreased cardiac stiffness after two years, both markers of a healthier heart.
New blood pressure guidelines put more at risk