Heart disease and related conditions are among the top health concerns in Dubai and the UAE, and if you live here, it’s a good thing you are reading this article right now. Stats show that the average age for heart attacks in Dubai is 45, a good 20 years earlier than the global average of 65. But despite the grim looking figures, the good news is that heart disease can easily be prevented by taking a few sensible precautions which intuitively include eating heart-healthy food, working out and clever stress management.
In this article, though, we’ll be focusing on exercise, and we’ll show you a few moves that are particularly great for heart health. All of these moves will be relatively easy to perform and you could even do some of them at home. Got your interest? Read on to find out more.
1. Walking
You might be surprised to see walking here on this list as this is an activity most people would normally regard as being rather “ordinary”. You might be even more surprised that walking, if don right, could yield the same amount of calorie loss as jogging, over the same distance. But, you can’t just go for a leisurely stroll in the park and expect to burn fat that way; you have to walk at an intense pace in order to see the desired results.
2. Swimming
Generally, cardiovascular exercises will be good for heart health, but you want to go for those that do not place too much strain on the heart. Sprinting for example might be a little too intense for a beginner or elderly person. Also, swimming provides the right mix of cardio and resistance training that is ideal for holistic fitness
3. Skipping
Lots of people make the mistake of thinking that skipping is a children’s sport but while it is usually a lot of fun even for adults, you will find that 30 minutes of skipping rope will probably leave you out of breath. The good thing is, you could enjoy this exercise right from the comfort of your home
4. Dancing
As said earlier, any cardiovascular activity will be good for heart health, but if you’re like most people, you probably never thought of dancing as being a cardiovascular activity. When done at the right intensity, dancing provides an excellent cardiovascular workout, and will have you sweating and panting in minutes. The best part is, like skipping rope, dancing can be done literally anywhere.
5. Rock climbing
For the more adventurous, the sustained breath-sapping nature of rock climbing is an excellent option. Rock climbing may look easier than it actually is and when you’re up there, you’ll find that rock climbing will be very tasking for every single muscle in your body and you’ll be panting for air in a few minutes, making this a great choice of activity for exercising the heart.Play a sport
If none of the other activities on this list really appeals to you, then you could consider playing some other time of sport, as long as it has a significant cardio element. Sports such as soccer, basketball and tennis are all ideal although, at a certain level, amateurs might find these sports a bit on the intense side.
Conclusion
Heart health is definitely something you should be concerned about if you would like to live a long, healthy life. Use these tips we’ve shared here and you’ll be on your way to having a healthier heart and cardiovascular system.