40 | The Lion King
Health
Exercise
for a
Healthy
Heart
By John-Kennedy Nnanna
A
sedentary lifestyle is one of the
top risk factors for heart disease.
Sitting for prolonged periods of
time can be highly detrimental to your
body. Not only does it wreak havoc on
the joints, muscles and bones, it can
also raise your risk of obesity, hyperten-
sion, heart disease and early death.
Fortunately, it is a risk factor that you
can do something about. Regular ex-
ercise, especially aerobic exercise, has
many health benefits.
Regular exercise is the secret to achiev-
ing higher energy levels, a strengthened
heart and cardiovascular system. It is
the best way to burn calories and lower
blood pressure, improve muscle tone,
strength, balance and joint flexibility.
Each exercise session should consist of
three routines.
Warm-up:
This helps your body adjust slowly from
rest to exercise. A warm-up reduces the
stress on your heart and muscles, slowly
increases your breathing, circulation
(heart rate) and body temperature. It
also helps improve flexibility and reduce
muscle soreness. The best warm-up
includes stretching, range of motion ac-
tivities and the beginning of the activity
at a low intensity level.
Conditioning:
This follows the warm-up. During the
conditioning phase, the benefits of
exercise are gained and calories are
burned. Be sure to monitor the intensity
of the activity by constantly checking
your heart rate.
Cool-down:
This is the last phase of your exercise
session. It allows your body to gradually
recover from the conditioning phase.
Your heart rate and blood pressure
will return to near resting values. While
cooling-down, do not sit, stand still or
lie down right after exercise as this may
cause you to feel dizzy or lightheaded
or have heart palpitations. The best way
to cool-down is to slowly decrease the
intensity of your activity. You may also
do some of the same stretching activi-
ties you did in the warm-up phase.
Your exercise regime
Stretching:
While performing stretching exercises,
make sure your movements are con-
trolled and slow. Avoid quick, jerking
movements; it should be gentle, noth-
ing painful. Stretch until a gentle pull is
felt in your muscle. Hold each stretch
for 20 to 30 seconds. Stretch after you
have warmed up or finished exercising.
This form of exercise is also very useful
for breaking long periods of inactivity at
your desk.
Aerobic and cardiovascular exercise:
This type of exercise strengthens the
heart and lungs and improves the
body's ability to use oxygen. You can
perform this exercise by running, jog-
ging, and biking. If you suffer from joint
problems, choose a low-impact activity,
like swimming. The treadmill is also good
for this form of exercise.
Strength training:
Use weights, dumbbells, bench-press, or
your own body weight for strength train-
ing. Do it 2-3 times a week. Allow your
