Home
Health Benefits Of Exercise
Starting An Exercise Program
How To Exercise Safely
How Diet Affects Your Health
Keys To A Healthy Diet
Healthy Weight Loss
Common Questions And Answers
Rocket Your Way To Health
About Kevin Peak
|
| Common Questions And Answers |
| Questions And Answers! |
Q: IS EXERCISE SAFE?
A: The potential health benefits of exercise greatly outweigh the risk, although there is a very slight increased risk of death due to heart attack during vigorous exercise. Consult your doctor first if you have any concerns, have been sedentary, are overweight, are middle-aged or older or have a medical condition.
Q: CAN MODERATE TO LOW-INTENSITY ACTIVITY BRING BENEFITS?
A: Most definitely. When done for as little as 30 minutes a day, activities such as pleasure walking, climbing stairs, gardening, yard work, moderate to heavy housework, dancing and home exercise have been shown to be beneficial. Again, doing anything is better than nothing.
Q: WHAT TYPE OF ACTIVITY IS BEST FOR IMPROVING THE FITNESS OF YOUR HEART AND LUNGS?
A: More vigorous aerobic activities such as brisk walking, running, swimming, bicycling, roller-skating, and jumpimg rope--done three to four times a week for 20-60 minutes--are best.
Q: IF I EXERCISE, WILL I PREVENT HEART DISEASE?
A: Physical inactivity, along with cigarette smoking, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol, is one of the major modifiable risk factors for heart attack. There is no guarantee that you will not get heart disease, however, your chances of heart disease developing are less if you avoid the risk factors.
Q: I AM A SENIOR CITIZEN. IS IT TOO LATE FOR ME TO BECOME PYSICALLY ACTIVE? SHOULD I TAKE SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS?
A: More and more seniors are proving every day that they are not too old to exercise. In fact, the older you are, the more you need regular exercise. However, there are some special precautions you should take. If you have a family history of heart disease, check with your doctor first. Don't try to do too much too fast. Exercise at an intensity appropriate for you. Pick activities that are fun, that suit your needs and that you can do year-round. Wear comfortable clothing and footwear. Choose a well-lighted, safe place with a smooth, soft surface. Take more time to warm-up and cool-down before and after your workout. Stretch slowly. Don't rely on your sense of thirst; drink water on a fixed schedule, and plenty of it.
Q: HOW MUCH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY IS ENOUGH?
A: If you are inactive, doing anything is better than nothing! Sudies show that people who have a low fitness level are much more likely to die early than people who have achieved even a moderate level of fitness. If you want to exceed a moderate level of fitness, you need to exercise three or four times a week for 20 to 60 minutes at 60-90 percent of your maximum heart rate.
Q: WHAT IS ONE MAJOR RISK FACTOR FOR HEART DISEASE AND OTHER HEALTH PROBLEMS?
A: Lack of physical activity. Sudies have shown exercise reduces the risk of heart disease, and less fit people have a 30-50% greater risk of developing high blood pressure. Regular activity may also reduce the risk of some kinds of embolic strokes.
Q: I HAVE BEEN INACTIVE FOR YEARS. SHOULDN'T I SEE A DOCTOR BEFORE I START BECOMING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE?
A: People middle-aged or older who are inactive and at high risk for heart disease or who already have a medical condition should seek medical advice before thay start or significantly increase their physical activity. Most apparently healthy people of any age can safely engage in moderate levels of physical activity (e.g. moderate walking, gardening, yard work) without prior medical consultation.
Q: DOES EXERCISE COUNTERACT THE HARMFUL EFFECTS OF OTHER RISK FACTORS?
A: Studies show that being physically fit lowers heart disease risk even in people who have other health problems such as high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. To minimize risk, however, you should be physically fit and avoid the other modifiable risk factors: cigarette smoke, high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol.
Q: IS TENNIS A GOOD EXERCISE?
A: Tennis gives the same benefits as any other exercise; that is, lowered body fat, lowered resting heart rate, lowered blood pressure, etc. It has aerobic and anaerobic components so that you get the best of both exercise worlds. It is NOT, however, one of the better aerobic exercises because it is too stop-and-go.So if you're looking for a fat-burning exercise, tennis may not be the MOST EFFECTIVE for accomplishing this. The steadier non-stop exercises, such as jogging, walking, and cycling are the better fat burners.
Q: WHAT'S THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN AMERICA?
A: Cardiovascular disease. CVD was responsible for 960,000 deaths in America last year, accounting for over 41.5% of all deaths.
Q: WHAT PERCENTAGE OF AMERICAN ADULTS GETS ENOUGH EXERCISE TO ACHIEVE CARDIOVASCULAR FITNESS?
A: Only 22%. 53% get some exercise, but not regularly or intensely enough to protect their hearts, 25% aren't active at all.
Q: DO WOMEN GET THE SAME BENEFITS FROM EXERCISE AS MEN?
A: Most studies showing the positive effects of exercise have been done with men. The few studies that have included women have indicated that women may benefit even more than men from being physically active. Early indications show the reduced rates of death by heart disease are higher for women who are physically fit than for men.
Women who do not exercise have twice the chance of dying from heart disease than women who do exercise, just as women who smoke double their chances of dying from heart disease than women who don't smoke. Women may live longer than men, but thay don't necessarily live better. Elderly women who have not been physically active experience more disability in their daily function than women who have been active.
|
|
|