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Healthy Heart

I am sure everyone is aware that one of the main key benefits of exercise is having a healthy heart. But did you know by simply being inactive doubles your chances of developing Coronary Heart Disease. So why is it that a minority of adults - particularly women take sufficient exercise to benefit health? We only need to accumulate 30 minutes of physical activity five days a week - surely we can all manage that.

Furthermore research shows that exercise does not have to be strenuous to benefit the cardiovascular system (heart & lungs).
Gentle aerobic exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming and dancing can be very effective in reducing your risk of Coronary Heart Disease. Taking part in regular exercise improves the levels of fats in your blood, lowers blood pressure and can contribute to the maintenance of a desirable weight - all helpful for protecting against heart disease.

As always prevention is better than cure especially for people at risk from CHD, so eating a healthy diet, taking particular care to reduce saturated fat intake and achieving and maintaining a desirable body weight are all factors in keeping a healthy heart. But keeping active is the most important factor. Even after a heart attack exercise plays a key role in improving survival.

If you only remember one thing - prevention is better than cure, an active heart is a healthy heart.