They call it “cardiovascular” exercise for a reason – turns out, it’s great for helping your heart function properly.
Cardiovascular, or cardio, exercise is any exercise that increases your heart rate. Cardio exercise benefits the body in several ways and can help you lower your risk for heart disease.
Here are some of the ways cardio helps your heart:
1. During cardio exercise, there is increased blood flow which equals an increased blood volume returning to the heart, according to Active. The left ventricle adapts and enlarges due to this larger blood volume, causing it to hold more blood and eject more blood per heart beat.
2. Consistent cardio training can lead to a drop in resting heart rate, as each heart beat is producing more blood, making fewer beats needed and taking work off of the heart, according to Active.
3. Cardio exercise helps you manage diabetes, which is a risk factor for heart disease. According to Body Building, cardio exercise helps increase your muscle’s ability to use glucose, helping you have better control of your blood sugars.
4. Being active and exercising regularly helps to lower your blood pressure. High blood pressure, or hypertension, puts extra stress on the heart and can lead to hypertensive heart disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, aortic aneurysm and more.
Always consult your physician before starting a new exercise or diet program.
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