Everyone has an opinion about how to live a longer and healthier life. Some swear by specific diets or supplements, while others point to genetics or even sheer luck.
From a scientific perspective, there is one important factor that remains ever present in the longevity equation: cardiovascular training.
There’s simply no downside to regular cardiovascular training. Not only does it strengthen the muscles and improve your physical endurance, but it may fight against certain processes that effect your metabolic health.
How cardiovascular training works to improve cardiovascular health
The benefits of cardiovascular training have been scientifically measured for decades. Even 30 minutes of exercise a day leads to a drop in all cause mortality and defends against chronic illnesses such as:
- Arterial hypertension
- Type 2 diabetes
- Dyslipidemia
- Stroke
- Cancer
Cardiovascular training can also reduce your risk of coronary heart disease. One study found that men who performed regular cardiovascular training had a 7% lower risk of developing coronary heart disease than those who didn’t exercise at all. For women, these risks were reduced by 11%.
Apart from metabolic benefits, cardiovascular training can do a wealth of good for your mind, body, and emotional state. Exercise is linked with a reduction of depression factors and an increase of serotonin, which may help to regulate sleep schedules and reduce lingering stress. Less stress and more sleep are important factors in a long and healthy life.
A regular cardiovascular training schedule may even improve your cognitive function as you age. This reduces your risks for mental illnesses such as dementia by nearly 30%.
All of which means that when it comes to living a long and healthy life, cardiovascular training should be in your routine. Even just a few minutes of cardio per day may help you live 6.9 years longer than non-active people.
Improve cardiovascular health with simple cardiovascular training
Regular training helps to strengthen the muscle walls and function of the heart, which increases oxygen to the brain. This leads to the creation of more neurons, which makes you smarter, faster, and more capable of complex work.
All of this leads to a longer, healthier, and most importantly, higher quality lifecycle.
I encourage you to exercise at least 30 minutes a day for five days per week. Varying the intensity and activity can keep things interesting, although there’s no harm in maintaining a similar exercise regime over time.
Keep in mind that the stronger you become, the more intense your workouts should be. This is a natural process; don’t force anything before you’re ready.
There are a number of activities that count as cardiovascular training. I always tell patients to focus on an option that works best with their lifestyle:
- Playing an active team sport. This encourages you to push yourself to an acceptable degree while providing social benefits (e.g. being part of a team).
- Jogging or running. This is simple, quick, and free. If you’re not ready for a more strenuous pace, take a brisk walk around the neighborhood instead.
- Resistance training. Weights are going to make the biggest impact on your health and metabolic wellness.
- Interval training. Sometimes referred to as HIIT, these high intensity workouts are great for endurance and for getting fast results. Just remember to be gentle on your joints; these exercises often require significant legwork and fast movements.
- Swimming. If you struggle with osteoporosis or arthritis, water aerobics will be an excellent way to train the heart. Swimming laps will be perfectly acceptable, although you can also swim in a class setting if you feel more comfortable.
Cardiovascular training isn’t a magical solution that guarantees a longer lifespan. However, it is a powerful quality of life enhancement that keeps your body, mind, and metabolic health in peak condition as you age.
Improving heart health with heart health training
If you aren’t engaging in regular cardiovascular training, I highly recommend adding it to your daily routine. Not only is there ample scientific evidence to support its usefulness, but you may come to enjoy its secondary benefits as well — particularly its effect on your waistline.
It can be difficult to know where to start with cardiovascular training, particularly if you are struggling with unique health concerns. In this case, it may be beneficial to work with a certified heart health coach. These metabolic professionals have years of experience with coaching and support in order to improve their patient’s cardiovascular health.
You can book a 15-minute call with me today and I will happily customize a list of training approaches that align with your age, health, and metabolic wellness factors.