May 2023 - CardiacKrock

Can You Exercise After Heart Valve Replacement?

Posted on May 24, 2023 by marketingagency

People suffering from heart valve diseases, such as regurgitation or stenosis often have to undergo heart valve replacement surgery. It goes without saying, that the recovery process will be challenging. Well, can you exercise after heart valve replacement? Yes, absolutely. Adopting a regular exercise routine is a fantastic way to improve your cardiovascular health.

Let’s take a look at the role of exercise after heart valve surgery as well as some guidelines for how to build your exercise tolerance.

Can You Exercise After Heart Valve Replacement?

Yes, many experts encourage exercise after aortic or heart valve surgery as it will help to increase blood flow and get you back into a healthy routine. However, you will need to take extra precautions to ensure you don’t cause further complications or injury. It’s important to remember that your body went through trauma; therefore, you need to ease back into it.

Apart from the physical aspect, exercising after heart valve or aortic valve surgery will help you increase your independence and return to your daily activities with ease.

You’ll be able to experience reduced fatigue and improved fitness by strengthening your cardiovascular system via exercise. Therefore, not only will you reduce the risk of blood clots, heart failure, etc., but you’ll also be able to engage in fun activities you enjoy, such as gardening, walking your dog, or playing with your grandchildren.

Furthermore, exercise also has a positive impact on other aspects of your life; for example, physical activity can help improve cholesterol levels, lower blood pressure, enhance blood sugar, and more. All these factors play a crucial role in reducing the risk of heart disease.

Additionally, exercising is also an excellent way to promote emotional well-being and social interaction after having to undergo something so stressful. You’ll be able to interact with others who’ve had similar experiences by joining group classes or participating in group sporting activities.

It’s essential to note that everyone will have different experiences when planning an exercise routine after heart valve surgery. The type of heart valve replacement, age, overall health, and other medical conditions will all have an impact on the exercises you can perform.

What Are the Benefits of Exercise After Heart Valve Replacement?

Some of the benefits of exercising after heart surgery include:

Weight Management: Heart health depends on maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise aids in calorie burning, weight loss, and maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI), which reduces stress on the heart and lowers the probability of complications.
Enhanced Cardiovascular Fitness: Regular exercise helps to build up the heart’s muscle and increases the effectiveness of pumping blood. Exercise following heart valve replacement can lower the risk of subsequent heart-related problems by improving cardiovascular fitness.
Improved Energy Levels: After a heart valve replacement, regular physical activity can help reduce post-operative fatigue. Physical activity increases your stamina and endurance, which improves energy levels and general quality of life.
Mood Enhancement: The body naturally produces endorphins, which are chemicals that improve mood. Exercise can help reduce stress, anxiety, and sadness after heart valve replacement surgery, increasing mental health, and speeding up the healing process.

How Do I Start Exercising Again After Heart Valve Replacement?

In general, exercise forms part of a healthy lifestyle. The same applies after undergoing heart valve replacement. Exercising can help by increasing your fitness levels, controlling your blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight, and keeping you relaxed.

You don’t have to go from zero to 100 at once. Start by walking slowly and gradually, and start increasing the length and intensity. Tennis and bowls are also fantastic exercises to start with.

What Types of Exercises Should You Do?

Some of the exercises that you can do after aortic valve replacement surgery or a minimally invasive surgery include:

Strength Training: Strength training helps develop muscle strength, tone the body, and enhance posture. Strength training can involve the use of resistance bands, weight training, or bodyweight exercises. It is advisable to speak with a physiotherapist or specialist in cardiac rehabilitation to create a strength training regimen that is suitable for your needs.
Aerobic Exercise: After a heart valve replacement, aerobic exercises such as walking, running, cycling, swimming, or using elliptical machines are quite useful. These workouts speed up the heart rate, strengthen the lungs, and raise cardiovascular fitness levels. Under medical supervision, start with low-impact exercises and progressively increase the intensity.
Flexibility and Stretching: Yoga or stretching exercises can help improve flexibility by reducing muscle stiffness and improving joint mobility. These exercises help to keep a good range of motion, prevent injuries, and promote relaxation.

What Safety Precautions Should You Take?

While exercising is a great thing to incorporate into your routine, there are a few precautions when it comes to safety, such as:

Cardiac Rehab

There are many benefits of taking part in a structured cardiac rehab program. These programs offer expert direction, track progress, and offer a welcoming setting for working out under professional supervision.

Consult with Health Professionals

After heart valve replacement, it is essential to speak with your cardiac surgeon or the medical staff to monitor your recovery process before starting any fitness regimen. They can offer detailed advice and recommendations that are catered to your needs.

Monitoring Heart Rate

It’s critical to keep track of your heart rate while exercising. To make sure you stay within the safe range advised by your healthcare practitioner, you can use heart rate monitors, such as a smartwatch. Avoid overexertion and become familiar with the warning signals, such as dizziness, chest pain, and shortness of breath.

Gradual Progression

Slowly increase the duration, intensity, and frequency of your workouts as you go along. Pushing too hard too soon after surgery can cause issues because your body needs time to recuperate after the procedure. The trick is to proceed slowly and with patience.

Final Verdict

As you can see, engaging in regular exercise after heart valve surgery is a crucial part of your overall cardiovascular health and the recovery process.

However, make sure you consult your healthcare professionals, follow safety guidelines, and gradually build an effective and safe exercise routine.

Looking for the Best Heart Rate Monitor Watches? Here Are the Top 5 Options of 2023

Posted on May 24, 2023 by marketingagency

Do you need an effective solution to monitor your blood pressure? You need a blood pressure monitoring watch. Fortunately, there are a number of watches on the market to choose from. They vary based on battery life, price, and other features. We understand that choosing the ideal watch can be overwhelming. That’s why we’re here to make your search easier. If you want to know the top five heart rate monitor watches of 2023, keep reading!

What Makes the Best Blood Pressure Watches?

We’re sure you’re wondering what we’ve based our findings on. Well, our top consideration was accuracy. It’s vital to find a watch that offers accurate or near-accurate data. Secondly, these five options come from reliable manufacturers who are transparent about the watch’s capabilities. Lastly, we did our own research on the product and company and checked a number of customer reviews on various websites.

The 5 Best Blood Pressure Monitor Watches of 2023

Did you know the Apple Watch Series range isn’t the only range of heart rate monitoring watches on the market? There are many others to choose from. Let’s take a look at our top five picks.

1. Bitine Smart Watch Blood Pressure Monitor

If you’re looking for a watch that features water resistance, you can’t go wrong with the Bitine Smart Watch. It has all the bells and whistles you’d look for in a smartwatch, as well as a daily counter for calories burned and a step-tracker.

Apart from all this, there’s one feature that stands out among the rest; its band. The band on the Bitine can inflate, compressing your wrist and monitoring your blood pressure much like a traditional blood pressure cuff. Why is this beneficial, you might ask? Well, it gives you more accurate readings.

However, it’s tough to say just how effective this watch is as it’s relatively new. Therefore, there isn’t much feedback to judge it on.

Pros

App connectivity
Tracks body temperature

Cons

Fairly new product

2. Omron Heartguide

The Omron Heartguide has been cleared by the FDA and monitors blood pressure by using an inflatable cuff inside the band. Furthermore, this watch is quite efficient, giving you readings in approximately 3o seconds.

You can obtain information about your readings through its companion app, HeartAdvisor, which is compatible with Android and Apple devices. To make reading and interpreting your data simpler, this app displays your results in color-coded graphs. These stats are usually based on variables such as the time of day and exercise.

Pros

Simple and easy-to-read display
Fast readings
The manufacturer offers an extended warranty

Cons

Some people complain that it’s bulky
Expensive
Is not water-resistant

3. MorePro Activity Tracker

If you’re on a tight budget, we strongly recommend the MorePro Activity Tracker. You’ll still be able to track a wide range of things, such as your activity levels and vitals. This watch also has an app, and it is compatible with Android and Apple.

Pros

Slim design
Built-in GPS tracking
180-day warranty

Cons

Small display
Doesn’t have the most accurate heart rate data

4. FitVII Smartwatch

When it comes to monitoring heart health, you need a high-quality product that’s going to give you good value for money. That’s exactly what the FitVII Smartwatch aims to provide. This watch offers sleep and fitness tracking and monitors several health metrics, which it stores on its companion app.

Many customers are also pleased with the price point – stating that it’s a very reliable product, especially given its affordability.

Pros

Waterproof
Includes a wireless charging station
Has a fatigue test and heart rate alarm

Cons

Small screen

5. KOSPET Smart Watch for Heart Rate Monitoring

Are you looking for a watch that offers continuous heart rate monitoring? You can’t go wrong with the KOSPET Smart Watch for Heart Rate Monitoring. Furthermore, this watch also steps up to the plate in terms of comfort and style.

Many people have compared it to the Apple Watch. However, it’s important to note that this specific watch can’t make phone calls. Nevertheless, that isn’t a cause for concern, especially when considering its customizability and the fact that it has games.

Another reason why we had to include this watch on our list is that it offers menstrual cycle tracking, which is a very important feature to consider in 2023.

Pros

One-year warranty
Offers menstrual health tracking

Cons

Not completely water resistant

Can a Watch Give You Accurate Blood Pressure Readings?

According to the American Heart Association, readings taken at the finger or wrist aren’t as accurate as those taken at the upper arm. This is because readings taken at the upper arm are closer to the heart level, which is important when taking blood pressure readings.

However, this isn’t to say that watches aren’t beneficial. Many watches also give you the instruction to put your wrist on your heart when taking a reading. This is a fantastic way to ensure you’re getting as accurate a reading as possible.

The Bottom Line

If you want to prioritize your health and fitness goals, you need to find the right heart rate monitor watch for you. Each of the above-mentioned options has unique functionalities and features that cater to different needs and preferences. Therefore, whether you’re focused on sleep tracking, blood pressure monitoring, or overall health, one of the watches on this list will meet your requirements.

When choosing your wrist blood pressure monitor, it’s important to consider compatibility with your smartphone, ease of use, accuracy, and long battery life. However, you also need to think about the comfort and design of the watch since you’re probably going to wear it throughout the day.

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast who wants to optimize your workouts or have specific health concerns you need to monitor, investing in a high-quality heart rate monitor will give you valuable information and help you stay on track with your heart health.

The “Best” Cardio Workout for Healthy Heart Rates – Everything You Should Know

Posted on May 23, 2023May 24, 2023 by marketingagency

Are you interested in knowing the best cardio workout for healthy heart rates? Today is the right time to focus on your fitness goals. Regular exercise will help you build muscle and lose weight, but it does so much more!

Aerobic exercise (cardio exercise) requires repetitive contraction of your large muscle groups to get your heart to beat faster. It’s highly beneficial for your cardiovascular health (the heart and blood vessels).

What Can Cardio Exercise Do for Heart Health?

A regular cardio exercise routine can:

Improve oxygen flow throughout the body
Strengthen the blood vessels and heart
Reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, and some cancers
Lower your blood pressure or cholesterol

What’s the Best Workout for Heart Disease and Blood Pressure?

Most people wonder what exercise is heart-healthy, and the good news is that it doesn’t really matter the type. You simply have to do something!

There’s no cure-all for exercise or one way to do it. For example, you could be a cross-trainer, so you work out for 30 minutes but use different muscles for 10 minutes at a time to keep the routine interesting.

Some people pair strength training exercises with cardio training to lower body weight and gain muscle. You don’t have to use the same strategy as someone else to get the heart-health benefits of cardio workouts. The goal is to exercise regularly.

Everyone has a daily routine. You might take a shower and brush your teeth before you do much else. Aerobic exercise should be included on that list. Though resistance training is crucial, you require a mixture of heart-healthy activities to stay youthful, avoid the risk of heart attack, and get help losing weight. Likewise, exercise can lower high blood pressure!

Try Heart-healthy Exercises Today

It’s best to exercise four or five times per week. One part of your schedule is to have varying types and intensities. When you change up the routine regularly, you won’t have to deal with overuse injuries and can work different muscle groups. Likewise, you’re not doing the same things over and over and get bored.

Most professionals recommend moderate exercise two to three days per week for about 30 minutes. You should be short of breath and sweat a little on those days, but you can talk normally.

Use longer aerobic exercise activities that take an hour or longer one day per week. This could include brisk walking around your neighborhood, Zumba classes, and bike rides. The movement doesn’t matter, but you should enjoy doing it and stay moving throughout.

A Note about Resistance Training and High-intensity Interval Training

If you start with the exercise program above, that’s three days of your routine. On the fourth and fifth days, you should focus on interval training. High-intensity training could be the best exercises ever because they stimulate various muscles and get different responses from the blood vessels and heart.

One type of high-intensity training includes exercising hard for a short period, resting, and then working hard again. This is excellent for heart health and is often referred to as HIIT.

Along with cardio training, you should consider weight training one to two days per week for your overall health. Strength training exercises with resistance bands or weights will make the muscles stronger, help with metabolism, and will improve bone strength. Therefore, you might avoid certain conditions like diabetes.

Strength training comes in various forms, and you don’t have to use the free weights at the gym. Instead, you can use Pilates, calisthenics, and Tai Chi or Yoga to build flexibility and balance, along with strength.

How to Work in Resistance Training and Aerobic Exercise Throughout the Week

The order in which you perform all those exercises isn’t important. However, you may want to space out strength training and HIIT to give muscles time to recover and avoid injury. Go for a brisk walk when you don’t have a lot of time, and use the weekends for longer routines.

The goal here is to boost heart health slowly. Vigorous exercise is essential, but you need a good full-body workout with weights to ensure flexibility and balance.

Though moderate-intensity routines are great, you should push yourself periodically. When starting a new exercise program, it’s wise to go slowly and gradually raise your fitness level. You’ll start noticing more muscle mass and get the heart pumping safely.

The Overall Heart of the Matter

The National Institutes of Health published the results of a two-year study that looked at how exercise might affect heart health. About 60 middle-aged women and men (about 53 years old) who didn’t exercise regularly used a heart catheter to measure the youthfulness or flexibility of the heart after just two years of exercise. There was also a control group that used flexibility and balance exercises.

Overall, the results of the study were compelling. It indicated that it’s possible to reverse the consequences of living a sedentary lifestyle if you commit to heart health and choose a regular exercise routine that you can stick with in middle age.

What to Do Now

If you’re worried about developing heart disease or have a family history of high blood sugar, it might be wise to start an exercise routine now. Begin at a moderate intensity, such as walking at a brisk pace. Get your heart rate up, but be careful that you don’t overdo it initially.

You’ll soon notice that your heart rate is lower at rest, you’ll reduce your high cholesterol, and you will have a stronger heart muscle. In some cases, you may avoid heart failure.

Physical activity is crucial, and there are so many options available. Flexibility exercises can help you relax, while swimming laps will get the heart rate up high. You may also consider push-ups to build your upper body strength.

Regardless of what you do, varying your heart rate is crucial. If you’re constantly binge-watching shows on television, you’re leading a sedentary lifestyle that could be damaging in the long term. Make small changes now and start slowly to improve.

Heart Rate After Stretching for 3 Minutes – What It Should Be and Other Helpful Information

Posted on May 22, 2023May 24, 2023 by marketingagency

What’s the best heart rate after stretching for 3 minutes? It’s a question many people consider, and it’s hard to know what it should be.

Stretching is crucial for your fitness routine. In fact, proper range of motion and flexibility has many benefits for your athletic performance and daily life.

Clearly, moderate and vigorous activity is essential, and skeletal muscle reflexes are important for the regulation and initiation of the cardiovascular responses for exercise.

Did you know that stretching sessions can affect your heart rate in different ways? When you understand how your body reacts to such activities, you can ensure that you’re heading in the right direction to improve systolic blood pressure.

The Heart Is Our Lifeline for Muscle Contraction and the Cardiovascular System

Your heart is essential for your health and fitness. It has a tough job among the working muscles of the human body. In fact, it relaxes and contracts 24/7/365. Without it, you wouldn’t get nutrients and oxygen to your body.

While pushing your body to handle more physical activity is important, the heart works harder to give it the nutrients and oxygen needed for the job. Even when you’re sleeping, your heart works, though at a lower intensity. In this instance, it’s enough to help your body recuperate and stay alive.

Exercise intensity is something everyone should consider. There are significant differences when running, lifting weights, and using stretching sessions. Blood flow is often heightened when you’re running, but strength training breaks down the muscles and helps them become stronger.

Stretching exercises performed after strenuous physical activity can help you relax and avoid muscle pain and weakness.

What’s Your Resting Heart Rate?

The resting heart rate is how many times the heart beats each minute while you’re resting (not doing anything strenuous). It’s best to check it in the morning, even before you get up. Definitely test your heart rate before drinking coffee or anything else. However, you may want to urinate first if that often causes your heart rate to become variable.

Resting Heart Rate By Age

Most adults see a BPM of 60 to 100 beats, which is normal for them. However, many things can affect your heart rate, such as medications, hormones, anxiety, stress, and your physical activity level. Athletes and active people might see heart rates as low as 40 BPM.

A lower resting heart rate is best. That means the heart muscle is in good condition, so it’s not working as hard to maintain those steady beats. Studies indicate that high resting heart rates are linked with high blood pressure, increased body weight, and low physical fitness.

You should be aware that your maximum heart rate is also important to know. This is how many beats per minute your body can take and still function. In fact, you never want to go to 100 percent of your max heart rate. Instead, you should be anywhere from 50 to 85 percent of the maximum for optimal results.

Stretching Exercise Options

There are many forms of stretching. Static stretching happens when you feel and hold the stretched muscle for a long period of time. The body becomes more relaxed here. However, dynamic stretching is often used as a warmup activity before a workout. This means the muscles go through their normal range of motion and go in a controlled manner. It wakes them.

Another form of static stretching includes assisted stretching. A fitness professional will perform the stretches.

Passive Muscle Stretch

A passive stretch is often similar to static stretches. With a sustained passive stretch, you relax the body using props or a partner. This intensity puts more external pressure on the body.

Doctors often use the maximum voluntary contraction measurement to gauge muscle strength. This will help you understand how much force a muscle group can handle. In fact, it will ensure that you know how much exercise intensity you can take from your heart rate.

Static Stretches and Heart Rate

Because static stretching is more relaxed, your heart rate should be closer to the resting rate. When it’s fully relaxed, the heart rate will decrease gradually because it’s not working as hard to give your body nutrients.

Ideally, when the stretching session is over, your heart rate should be about 100 beats per minute or lower to ensure it’s cooled down. After three minutes, you might not have a low enough heart rate, especially after vigorous exercise.

Dynamic Stretches and Heart Rate

Dynamic stretches happen before a workout to prepare your body for the exercise intensity or sport. This is opposite of static stretches, so the heart rate becomes elevated to gradually build to what you’ll do when exercising.

Overall, you should see an increased breathing rate, be lightly sweaty, and have a warm body because you’re not at the resting heart rate anymore. Likewise, the heart rate is often elevated to make sure the body gets nutrients and oxygen during the workout.

Your heart rate should be slightly elevated, which can go up to 90 percent of the maximum heart rate. However, this depends on your fitness level. If you find that you’re exerting too much force, your heart could become overworked, so you should level off until you feel more comfortable.

Assisted Stretching and Heart Rate

If you feel that assisted stretching is the best choice for you, it’s wise to use a professional to ensure effectiveness and safety. This style of stretching will keep your heart rate pretty low. Usually, heart rates stay around the resting rate, which ranges from 72 to 80 beats per minute on average.

PNF stretching could increase your heart rate more because you’re pushing or resisting as part of the work. However, it should be constant and consistent throughout the routine.

Stretching to Meet Your Goals

Your heart rate should see dips and peaks throughout the day. Healthy adults may not have to focus on losing weight, but they should still stretch to become more flexible. If you are obese, you may need to stretch after strenuous workouts to avoid muscle fatigue or damage so that you can lose weight gradually.

Knowing what you want from the stretches will give you a better idea of what you should do and when.

How High Is Too High a Heart Rate for 13-Year-Old, Exercising Children?

Posted on May 5, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Children should start developing healthy habits from a young age. Kids who are raised with a focus on fitness will develop a habit of living a healthy lifestyle more profoundly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises children and teenagers to engage in physical activity for at least one hour each day. Many activities qualify as physical activity; however, if you’re not sure, you can check your kids’ heart rates to see if they’re exerting themselves enough. What should the heart rate for a 13-year-old exercising regularly be?

What’s the ideal heart rate for a child, though? Unfortunately, this isn’t as simple to pinpoint as one would think. However, one thing is clear: children should exercise regularly in order to strengthen their bones, build muscle, and improve their young hearts.

What You Need to Know About the Traditional ‘Maximum Heart Rate’ Formula for Children

Many people believe that an effective way to calculate a target heart rate is to subtract their age from 220. Therefore, if you were 50 years old, for example, your target zone would be 170 (220 – 50 = 170).

Does the same principle apply if you’re working with children? Unfortunately, not. Most children would not get the heart rate given from the equation, and this result would certainly be too high. In fact, many children between the ages of 8 and 17 average in the 190s.

However, The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends another useful method for measuring heart rate after exercise. This involves multiplying your maximum heart rate by 50% to 85%, depending on your age.

Checking a Child’s Heart Rate By Taking a Pulse

You can check your child’s pulse by putting your index, middle, and ring fingers. Either place your fingers on your child’s wrist or on the side of their windpipe, right below the base of the child’s thumb. When you begin to feel the blood pulsing, gently press. Count your child’s heart beats for 10 seconds using a clock or watch with your free hand. To find your child’s heart rate, multiply the result by six.

When Should I Take a Pulse?

Ideally, you should plan to take your child’s pulse when they’re engaging in exercise or physical activity. To get the most effective results, take their pulse before leaving the house. Once they arrive at the park, sports field, or wherever else they’re partaking in the physical activity, take their pulse every 10 minutes. Make sure to record the results!

Why Does a Child’s Heart Rate Differ from an Adult’s?

Because of their smaller hearts, smaller stroke volumes, and lower blood volumes, children typically have greater resting heart rates than adults. Children cannot accurately use the formula because of these qualities, which leads to inaccuracies.

In fact, a child’s maximum heart rate might differ dramatically from one person to the next because of nutrition and diet, medications, or medical conditions, including thyroid difficulties or heart disease. Genetics could also play an important role.

If you want to know the figure, your doctor can perform a formal activity test to determine your child’s actual maximum heart rate, but it’s usually not necessary.

When Should You Be Concerned About a Child’s Heart Rate?

Children’s resting heart rates normally increase during their younger years and subsequently decline as they approach puberty. During their teen years, heart rate readings start to look more like those of adults.

Average resting heart rate ranges, broken down by life stage, are:

Adolescents (13-17): 60 – 100 beats per minute (bpm)
School-age children (5-12): 75 – 118 bpm
Preschool children (3 – 5): 80 – 120 bpm
Toddlers (1 – 3): 98 – 140 bpm
Infants (4 weeks – 1 year): 100 – 180 bpm
Newborns (0 – 4 weeks): 100 – 205 bpm

You should check out any resting heart rates that are above these levels. This often results in using a Holter heart monitor for one to two days to monitor heart rhythm and rate. Additionally, you will need to keep a period activity journal to compare what is happening with monitor data.

Judging a Child’s Physical Activity

If there’s no set way to determine what a child’s maximum heart rate should be, how do you know if they’re too physically active? While you might not be happy to hear this answer, it will be based on how the child feels.

According to specialists, most children know their limits and will stop when they feel they can’t handle it. However, a few useful signs to gauge whether a child is exerting themselves too much and creating exercise stress are:

Feeling lightheaded
Dizziness
Showing difficulty breathing

Children should be stopped and given a break if they start exhibiting these symptoms. A great solution is to rehydrate and lie down so that the head and heart are at the same level so that blood can flow to the brain.

Exercise Intensity

Based on the heart rates they generate, exercises can be classified into zones of varying intensities. While more intense workouts, such as resistance training, sprinting, and interval training, push you into a higher anaerobic heart zone, lighter or moderate-intensity exercises, such as field sports and jogging, put you in an aerobic energy zone. To allow for enough rest and recuperation, children and teenagers should only engage in high-intensity anaerobic activity two days per week.

What Should Your Child’s Heart Rate Be When Exercising?

The age of your child affects their heart rate. A child between the ages of 3 and 4 should exercise at a heart rate of about 137 beats per minute. However, the heart rate falls to just 133 beats per minute by the ages of 5 to 7. It drops even more, to 130 beats per minute, between 8 and 11. Lastly, the heart rate during exercise is significantly lower in adolescence. When exercising, a 12- to 15-year-old only needs to reach a heart rate of 115 beats per minute.

10-Minute Beginner Cardio Exercise at Home (No Equipment)

Posted on May 5, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Did you know you don’t need equipment for cardio training? Doing a cardio exercise at home with your own body weight is more than enough to maintain or improve your fitness levels and strength. Plus. these types of exercises are suitable regardless of whether you’re a beginner, recovering from an injury, want to get your heart pumping, are postpartum, or are pregnant.

In fact, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, you should engage in 150-300 minutes of moderate physical activity every week. With the simple cardio exercises we’ll discuss below, you’ll be able to increase your fitness levels.

Furthermore, once you get more comfortable with the exercises, you’ll be able to do them in a circuit and increase the number of times you execute the movement.

Are you ready for your killer cardio workout? Let’s get started!

10-Minute Beginner Cardio Workout at Home

Do you need a quick and easy 10-minute workout? These fun but challenging exercises will give you the push you need. As an added bonus, there’s no jumping or equipment needed.

Simply do each movement for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Do four sets of each of the five exercises this way, and 10 minutes will fly by in no time!

However, make sure to do each exercise at your own pace – you have to start somewhere, so don’t get discouraged if you’re struggling at the start.

Wide Knee Pulls

If you want to target your abs, core, arms, obliques, back, shoulders, and outer glutes, you’ll love wide knee pulls.

As you can see, this is a well-rounded exercise that will benefit your entire body.

Here’s how to do it:

Start in a standing position with your knees bent, feet shoulder-width apart, core tight, and both your arms overhead.
Pull your arms down towards your hips, keeping them at a 90-degree angle.
Lift your left leg up and then your right leg as you pull down your arms. Ultimately, you’re aiming for an elbow-to-knee connection. Think of it as a crunch through your obliques to get the correct motion.
Carry on doing this movement for 20 seconds.

Two Jabs and Squat

Ready to move on to the next exercise? Two jabs and a squat is the ideal exercise if you want to target your quads, hamstrings, back, glutes, shoulders, and core.

Let’s take a look at the steps:

Start by standing up straight with your knees slightly bent, feet hip-width apart, and core engaged.
Next, you’re going to clench your fists in front of your face and hold your arms up in a boxing position.
Start by throwing alternating punches in front of you.
After throwing punches with each arm, lower yourself into a squat position.
Return to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise for 20 seconds.

Sumo Squat and Reach

If you want to target your lower body, including your inner and outer thighs, quads, glutes, and calves, you’ll benefit greatly from this exercise. However, it’s also a great cardio workout for your shoulders and core.

Are you interested in learning how to do a sumo squat and reach? Follow the steps below:

Stand with your feet wider than your hips, with your toes pointed out slightly and your heels in. This is known as a sumo squat stance.
Start by bending your knees and lowering down into a squat position. Make sure to keep your hips parallel to your knees and push your knees out towards your pinky toes.
Tap the ground if possible ,once you reach the bottom of your sumo squat.
Push through your legs to stand up again. As you stand up, squeeze your inner thighs together. Reach both arms overhead once you stand tall.
To make the exercise slightly more challenging, add a calf raise by lifting your heels off the ground.
Repeat the movement for 20 seconds.

Lateral Jack Walks

Lateral shuffles or jack walks are one of our favorite exercises, and we’re sure it will be one of yours too. By targeting your glutes, hamstrings, quads, shoulders, back, arms, and chest, this is a full-body exercise that anyone can do.

Follow these five simple steps:

Start by standing with your feet slightly wider than your hips. Get into a loaded squat position by sitting down and back several inches.
Next, extend your right and left arm out to your sides.
While staying in your squat position, take two wide steps to the right side. Each time you take a step, pull your arms in towards you. Make sure to contract your chest muscles. Then, open up your arms again while squeezing your shoulder blades together.
Repeat the motion to the left side.
Continue with the motion for 20 seconds.

Knee Drive and Tap Back (Rocking Horse)

If you’re looking for a single exercise to target your lower abs, core, arms, glutes, hamstrings, and hip flexors, the knee drive and tap back will be your best friend.

Here’s how to do it:

Start by standing with your core muscles engaged, feet shoulder-width apart, and knees slightly bent.
Bring your left knee towards your chest and arms down toward the knee. Put your left leg back on the ground.
Tap your right foot approximately 6 inches behind you and bring your right leg back to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise on your right leg for 20 seconds by lifting up your right knee and tapping your left foot backward. Make sure to do the next set on your left leg.

Cardio Workouts Can Be Fun and Simple!

While standard exercises such as jumping jacks, squat jumps, and mountain climbers are great, there are easier and other effective exercises that won’t make you want to give up after the first 30 seconds. Exercising your cardiovascular system by getting your heart pumping has numerous benefits, such as improved health and increased muscle.

By adding this structured workout to your daily routine, you’ll see massive changes in your physical and mental health and energy levels. You don’t have to get in a plank or lunge position that burns to experience the benefits of exercise.

What Is the Best Exercise After Heart Surgery: Full Overview

Posted on May 4, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Rehabilitating after having heart surgery can be tricky to manage if you don’t get help from the right exercise specialist. If you’re someone who’s used to an active and fit lifestyle, you may be wondering: “What is the best exercise after heart surgery?“

Overall, exercising is something you shouldn’t miss when evaluating your current cardiac rehabilitation program. Whether you got heart bypass surgery or any other kind of procedure, there are plenty of options to ensure your cardiac rehab goes smoothly, allowing you to slowly regain strength in all your major muscle groups.

Let’s take a look at the best exercise program you can include in your routine to recover after heart surgery.

Important: Ask Your Cardiac Rehab Team Before Starting Any Exercise Program

Going through any kind of heart disease can be devastating for the patient, especially if they went through a severe case involving a heart attack.

Remember that there are several types of cardiac surgeries someone can go through, including:

Valve Replacements

Pacemakers

Coronary Artery Bypass Grafts (CABG)

Angioplasties

Before jumping into any resistance training or walking program, it’s essential to speak to your doctor to see which exercises you can implement in your normal routine, depending on the type of surgery you went through.

The list we’ll mention below includes several healthy exercises you can include in your cardiac rehab program, but since every body is different, you should always consult with your medical expert to determine if you can do it.

What’s the Best Cardiac Rehabilitation Exercise Program to Follow?

Let’s now go through all the movements you can implement in your home exercise program without promoting any more risk factors in your daily life.

About Physiotherapy

Physiotherapy will always be the ‘healthiest’ approach to your recovery, especially if you went through a delicate situation involving a heart attack.

Here, you will get a customized approach to your routine thanks to a licensed physiologist. They will consider the potential risks of certain exercises and create a program that fits your current needs and abilities.

Physiotherapy will always involve a combination of different exercises, including:

Warm-ups

Mobility/Stretching exercises

Cardio exercises

Muscle strengthening exercises

Cooldowns

Cardiovascular Programs

Cardiovascular physical activity can be an excellent way to deal with high blood pressure and keep your heart in check while you recover from your surgery.

Overall, the best exercise you can implement in your cardiac rehab program is walking. It may not seem like it, but regular exercise involving walking can help you get back on track without straining your body too much.

We recommend you start with shorter exercise sessions and keep working your way up as you start to feel better. If you start experiencing any negative symptoms like chest pain, make sure to stop for a while and talk to an exercise physiologist if necessary.

Once you gradually increase the difficulty of the exercise, you can start implementing other cardio movements, such as jogging, dancing, swimming, or even using a stationary bike or a machine for climbing stairs.

Stretching

When it comes to rehabilitation, there are a few things more effective than stretching and mobility exercises. You should always do these before and after any exercise session involving cardio or strengthening.

There are many different stretching exercises to consider, including:

Upper back stretches

Calf stretches

Chest stretches

Hamstring stretches

And more

Not stretching before your exercise routine can lead to further injury or heart complications, which is something you should definitely avoid at all times. We recommend not holding your breath while doing these exercises; instead, make sure to take slow and deep breaths.

Breathing

Did you know that breathing exercises do an excellent job of keeping your heart in good shape? Depending on the case, you will need to do certain breathing exercises to ensure everything is fine in that department.

Most of the time, you’ll be required to:

Do sets of 10 slow and deep breaths.

Place your hands over your chest incision before making a few strong coughs.

Breathe consciously and take time between each breath.

Make sure to talk to your doctor to see which breathing exercises can fit your rehab program the best.

Strengthening Programs

Strengthening exercises will be a considerable step to take in your journey toward recovery, but you must be extremely careful if you want to avoid any complications.

First, you must ensure that you’re not pushing your body too hard at first. Remember you’re recovering from heart surgery, so you must take things slow.

Another important thing you should always keep in mind is to measure your heart rate constantly. If you notice your heart rate is increasing too much when you exercise, you may want to consider lowering the intensity of your workout.

The best approach to this issue is to talk to your doctor to see which exercises are viable for you at the time.

General Precautions to Consider

While you may be eager to start training right after surgery, remember the first weeks after getting a procedure done are crucial in your recovery journey.

Depending on the case, you may not be allowed to lift, pull, or push any objects heavier than 10 pounds, at least for the first one or two months.

Moreover, you may be advised to avoid trunk twisting for a few weeks just in case.

Typically, your doctor will allow you to start a rehabilitation program a few weeks after the surgery. There, you will get evaluated by professionals to determine which exercise options are more appropriate for you.

Feel free to ask any questions you consider appropriate at this stage.

Don’t Forget About Cooldowns and Resting

Cooldowns are likely the most important part of any exercise routine. They are meant to bring your body back to its relaxed, regular state. This is especially important to do after heart surgery, as it will decrease the chances of dizziness.

Moreover, remember that resting plays a huge role in your recovery journey. You will likely get tired fast once you start doing exercises again, so you may need more than a few rest periods until you can exercise again.

Overall, walking is one of the most recommended exercises for those who are starting to recover from heart surgery. However, remember to always talk to a licensed medical expert before doing anything that may affect your recovery process.

Learning About the Heart Rate Monitor Watch: How to Choose and Use Heart Rate Monitors

Posted on May 3, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

If you have cardiac problems or want to track your fitness levels, investing in a good heart rate monitor is important. The heart rate monitor watch is all the rage these days, and if you’re hoping to jump onto the bandwagon, you’ve come to the right place.

These devices can help you track your heart rate and identify cardiac events. However, if you want to truly enjoy the benefits of a heart rate monitor, it’s essential to choose your device carefully. In this post, we’ll provide all the information you need to select the right wrist heart rate monitor and use it effectively to track your heart health.

What Is a Wristwatch Heart Rate Tracker?

Just as it sounds, a wrist-worn heart rate monitor is a convenient device that’s used to analyze your heart rate. Unlike medical devices that use chest straps to measure heart rate variability, these monitors are easy to use and can be worn all day long.

These watches also include third-party apps, in most cases, and also help you track other metrics, such as calorie burn, blood oxygen saturation, sleep tracking, stride length, and more.

Why Invest in Such a Device?

There are a number of reasons why you might want to use a wrist heart monitor. These include the following:

Fitness Tracking

If you are concerned about your fitness, a heart rate monitor may be just what you need. Having a convenient watch to check your heart rate during your workouts can help you track the improvements in your health over time, allowing you to remain true to your goals. It can also ensure that you’re at the right intensity to

Moreover, tracking your heart rate can ensure that you’re working out at the correct intensity. This is critical to ensure that you’re not pushing yourself too hard.

Health Monitoring

In addition to fitness tracking, monitoring your heart rate can help you identify potential health issues, such as atrial fibrillation, arrhythmias, or abnormal heart rates, which may require medical attention. It can also help you track changes in your heart rate due to medication or other health conditions.

A heart rate watch will provide irregular heart rhythm notifications, so if you have a heart attack, for example, you can quickly identify a problem and seek prompt medical care.

Convenience

Although a watch will not provide the most accurate readings, it is still a great choice for those who want to monitor their fitness levels conveniently. Instead of having to strap on an armband heart rate monitor periodically, you can simply strap on your watch and receive heart rate variability readings all day long.

What About the Accuracy of Optical Heart Rate Sensors?

One of the main questions people have when it comes to these continuous heart rate tracking devices is, “Are these heart rate monitors accurate?” The short answer is that, in most cases, yes, they are.

Studies have proved the accuracy of wrist heart rate monitors when compared to a chest strap monitor. However, the findings show that not all watch monitors are the same, which is why it’s important to think about the watch you choose very carefully.

Choosing Your Heart Rate Monitor

A quick Google search will tell you that there are hundreds, if not thousands, of options for wrist-worn heart rate monitors. How do you know which one to choose? Fortunately, there are ways to tell whether a particular option is reliable. Let’s take a look at some of the most important qualities to have in a heart rate monitor.

Type

Although all heart rate monitoring watches track your heart rate, they are not all the same, so the choice is left to you as to which is the best option for you. Some watches display all your metrics on the screen, while others use third-party apps instead. You will need to choose the option that is most convenient for you.

Battery Life

Because these devices are digital and must be charged before use, you must ensure that you’re choosing one with excellent battery life. This will ensure that you can go several hours between charges.

Responsive

In addition to the battery life, you will also need to determine how responsive the device is. Some watches are delayed in their responsiveness, and in the event that you have a cardiac event, you want to ensure that you’re notified in real-time.

Whether It Gives Accurate Heart Rate Readings

Accuracy is undoubtedly an essential quality to look for in a heart rate monitoring wristwatch. Make sure you’re reading reviews and the heart rate monitor FAQs on the website to learn more about the product.

Additional Tracking Capabilities, Such As Sleep Quality

Many heart rate monitors that are worn on the wrist are also used to assess a number of other health and fitness indicators. If you need something with a blood oxygen sensor or need to evaluate your sleep quality, for example, make sure you’re choosing a model with these capabilities.

Tips on How to Use Your Heart Rate Monitor

Choosing the right device is the first step, but you cannot enjoy the benefits to the fullest if you do not use it correctly. The good news is that we have a few tips for you on how to get the most out of your wristwatch monitor.

Make sure you’re wearing your watch tightly so that it doesn’t move around.
Wear it at a two-finger distance from your wrist for the best results.
Ensure that your wristwatch is turned on and measuring your heart rate before the start of your workout.
If you have an associated app, make sure you’re updating it regularly to ensure that you’re receiving all the benefits.
Clean the sensor regularly to ensure that you are getting accurate readings.
Spend some time learning about what your “normal” heart rate is while performing various activities.
If you have cardiac problems, do not substitute medical assessments with a wristwatch. Always attend your doctor’s appointments and use your tracker in addition to professional heart rate tracking.

The Bottom Line

A heart rate monitoring wristwatch can help you improve your fitness and identify any potential problems with your heart. However, it’s essential to choose the right watch and use it correctly.

Using the tips we have provided, you can enjoy all the benefits of a heart rate monitor watch.

Is Folic Acid Good for the Heart? Everything You Should Know

Posted on May 2, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Folate is a type of B vitamin (vitamin B-9), and it’s crucial for the formulation of red blood cells and healthy growth and function. This nutrient is necessary for early pregnancy to lower the risk of birth defects to the baby’s spine and brain.

Overall, folate is found primarily in nuts, peas, beans, and leafy/dark green vegetables. However, some fruits are rich in folate, such as lemons, oranges, strawberries, melons, and bananas.

In synthetic form, you have folic acid, which is a crucial component in prenatal vitamins and comes in foods fortified with folic acid, including pasta and cereals.

If your diet lacks folate-rich foods or folic acid, you might develop a folate deficiency. This can also happen for those with certain conditions, including celiac disease. With it, the small intestine cannot absorb the nutrients in foods.

Most people should get about 400 micrograms of folate each day. However, adult women who plan to get pregnant or might get pregnant require up to 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily.

The question on everyone’s mind is whether folic acid is good for the heart or not. Studies indicate that it might lower your high blood pressure and have other heart-healthy benefits. Let’s learn more.

Evidence to Back Up the Folic Acid Supplementation Claim

Research on using folic acid supplements for specific conditions is significant and shows these things:

Birth Defects – Research indicates that folic acid supplements could help with neural tube defect prevention. Taking a prenatal vitamin each day, ideally three months before you conceive, will ensure that women get enough of the nutrient to help reduce the risk of neural tube defects.
Folic Acid Deficiency – Folic acid supplementation can treat nutritional folate deficiency. However, this isn’t a huge problem in most countries because the foods are fortified with folic acid.
Lowering the Risk Factors of Heart Disease and Stroke – Folic acid will work with vitamins B-12 and B-6 to control plasma homocysteine levels. If you have elevated homocysteine levels in your blood, your risk of developing cardiovascular disease increases. Therefore, lowering homocysteine levels is crucial, and folate contains the homocysteine-lowering B vitamins you need.
Cancer – A few clinical trials suggest that folic acid could reduce the risk of developing some cancers.
Dementia – There is not enough evidence to show that folic acid can prevent dementia.
Depression – Evidence suggests folic acid could help treat depression.

Studies on folic acid started in the 1970s and included the Health Professionals Follow-Up and the Nurses’ Health Study. These show that those who consume more folate have had fewer heart attacks and strokes than those who consumed less.

Folate and other B vitamins will break down homocysteine, which is an amino acid that could damage your arteries’ inner walls.

According to the NCBI, there have been a total of 12 different randomized controlled trials involving 47,523 participants who met the inclusion criteria for the systematic review it provided. You can read about each randomized controlled trial here.

It’s Generally Safe

Most people should be getting folate from their food. Generally, a balanced diet is all that’s required. However, folic acid therapy and supplementation are often recommended for women who might get pregnant, plan to get pregnant, are breast-feeding, or are pregnant.

Likewise, folic acid supplements might help those with conditions or poor diets that prevent the body from absorbing folate. This often happens to myocardial infarction survivors and those with coronary heart disease or vascular disease.

Side Effects and Safety

Folic acid fortification is generally safe if you use it at the appropriate dose. However, oral use might cause:

A bad taste in the mouth
Loss of appetite
Nausea
Sleep pattern disturbance
Irritability
Confusion

Those with allergies might have a reaction, and the symptoms include:

Difficulty breathing
Redness
Itching
Skin rash

Any excess folic acid will be excreted through your urine.

Taking too much folate might mask your vitamin B-12 deficiency until the neurological effects are irreversible. Therefore, you might require a supplement for vitamin B-12 and folic acid.

Benefits of Folic Acid

The folic acid benefits for women include:

Prevention of birth defects
Reducing the risk of pregnancy complications
Better egg quality and implantation
Lowered risk of rheumatoid arthritis
Reduced risk of type 2 diabetes
Less risk of developing low bone density, anemia, and depression

Whether you’re at a higher cardiovascular risk or not, there are also folic acid benefits for men, including:

Maintaining normal sperm maturation and development
Supports heart health
Improves and balances your mood
Helps with cognition
Might improve erectile dysfunction, according to the NCBI
Could help with hair growth because it assists with cell growth (more research is necessary)

Possible Interactions Between Folic Acid Supplements and Other Medications

The possible interactions can include:

Anticonvulsants – Taking folic acid with phenytoin (Phenytek and Dilantin), fosphenytoin (Cerebyx), and primidone (Mysoline) could decrease the concentration of the drug in the blood.
Pyrimethamine (Daraprim) – Taking folic acid supplements with the antimalarial drug could reduce its effectiveness.
Methotrexate (Trexall) – If you use folic acid and this medication that treats cancer, it might not be as effective.
Barbiturates – If you use folic acid with a drug that depresses the central nervous system (barbiturate), the drug might become less effective.

Can Folic Acid Help with Cardiovascular Disease?

Even one risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, can lead to significant problems as you age. You’re looking to find options to help you prevent cardiovascular diseases, and folic acid might be an excellent choice.

Vitamin supplementation is crucial, but folate is only one piece of the puzzle. There’s no magical solution. Is folic acid good for your heart? Definitely! However, you must focus on your overall eating habits and choose healthy foods that aren’t processed or full of fat. Citrus fruits, dark leafy vegetables, and fortified breakfast cereal are only a handful of options.

Your lifestyle also plays a role. Exercise is crucial, and you should be moving and standing more often than sitting. In many cases, these things will help you manage your health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure issues.

Is Omega-3 Fish Oil Good for Your Heart? Everything You Should Know

Posted on May 1, 2023May 4, 2023 by marketingagency

Most adults soon realize that they must turn to supplements to get all of the nutrition they require. In fact, it seems like there’s something for every health issue imaginable nowadays.

If you’re tired, you can add more Vitamin B12 to your diet. Iron supplements will help those who bruise easily. Vitamin E might assist when you prefer healthier skin.

The issue is it’s hard to know what supplements will actually help you and which ones might not work as they claim.

When you’re focused on heart health, you will probably hear plenty of people talking about fish oil supplements and their advantages.

Studies have indicated that fish oil supplements can provide some benefits to certain people with issues relating to heart health. Fish oil (omega-3 fatty acids) can only do so much in supplement form.

Overall, the real source for cardiovascular health advantages comes from the omega-3 fatty acids, which are part of the polyunsaturated fat group. These healthy fats are the best bet to stay heart-healthy and enjoy all the possible benefits of omega-3s.

Whenever you eat fish, you can experience the heart-healthy benefits. Here’s what to know about heart disease, omega-3s, and fish oil supplements.

What Are Omega-3 Fatty Acids (Omega-3s)?

Omega-3 fatty acids may be found in plant- and marine-based oils and foods. There are three primary types of omega-3 fatty acids. They are:

Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) – This is found in oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) – These are also found in oily fish, such as albacore tuna, salmon, and more.
Alpha-linolenic Acid (ALA) – This is found in various plant foods and oils, such as canola oil, soy oil, soybeans, and flaxseed oil.

ALA contains essential fatty acids, which means your body can’t produce them alone. You have to get it from your diet.

However, EPA and DHA aren’t considered essential because you can get them from ALA. Still, it’s not an efficient process, so you can’t rely on this to produce enough. The best sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fatty fish and certain oils.

How Does Omega-3 Fish Oil Help Your Heart?

Does eating fish outweigh the potential risks involved? Many people are told to avoid fish in certain situations, but you need enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. If you can’t get that through your diet (food), it’s wise to use dietary supplements. There are many benefits of omega-3 fish oil, and we’ll discuss them below:

Lower Triglyceride Levels

There’s consistent evidence for heart health and omega-3s that indicate they can lower your triglyceride levels. Triglycerides are a fat found within the blood and get stored as body fat. When you have higher amounts, this can lead to fatty buildup in your artery walls, increasing your risk of heart disease (stroke and heart attack).

It’s possible to consume omega-3 fatty acids in commercial fish or fish oil supplement form and lower your triglycerides. However, it’s not a one-and-done situation. You will need to lower your high triglycerides while keeping up with your diet and exercise routine.

Reduced Risk of Arrhythmias and Cardiovascular Disease

Whenever the heart beats abnormally, it’s called an arrhythmia. Some of them are harmless, but others could increase your risk of serious heart issues and stroke, such as AFib (atrial fibrillation).

Studies have shown a link between a lowered risk of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases and an increased intake of omega-3s.

However, if you have an abnormal heart rhythm, it’s crucial to understand that omega-3 fatty acids alone aren’t enough to fix the problem. You should work with your doctor to determine if taking fish oil is something that might help you.

Slower Plaque Buildup Rate

Plaque is made up primarily of calcium, cholesterol, and fat. It accumulates easily in the arteries, which limits the flow of blood to the body. This is full of oxygen and is necessary.

Overall, a diet that’s oily fish rich is often associated with a lower risk of stroke and heart attack. This includes fish and seafood.

Fish is generally low in that saturated fat you don’t want and high in healthy fats (omega-3s). Likewise, omega-3 fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects to improve the functionality of your heart and blood vessels. Therefore, proper intake may benefit you and lower your risk of developing cardiovascular disease, such as coronary artery disease.

There haven’t been enough clinical trials yet to determine if eating fish rich in omega-3s will help with inflammatory bowel disease, but it is a possibility.

Lower Blood Pressure

A high blood pressure could cause a stroke or heart attack. The effects of omega-3s for blood pressure could be favorable. To understand this better, you must know the numbers found on a blood pressure measuring device:

Systolic BP is the amount of pressure within the arteries when the heart muscles contract.
Diastolic BP is the amount of pressure within the arteries between beats.

Both can be lowered when you take high doses of omega-3s.

Adding Omega 3s through Fish Oil Supplements and Foods

There are many ways to increase your intake of omega-3s, aside from fish oil supplements. The AHA (American Heart Association) recommends eating fish once a week or more often. Studies indicate a greater benefit from using food to get omega-3s.

If you don’t feel like taking fish oil supplements to get your fatty acids, that’s okay. Omega-3s are naturally found in many fish, such as mackerel, salmon, herring, tuna, and sardines. Fish haters can also use plant-based foods or oils.

These plant-based foods and oils include:

Ground flaxseeds
Walnuts
Flaxseed oil
Chia seeds
Tofu
Soybeans
Soy oil
Canola oil

You can also get your fatty acids from fortified foods like milk, juice, eggs, and more. If you do choose fish, remember that eating tainted fish can pose health risks, so be careful.

Are Omega-3s Good for Heart Disease?

Omega-3s are definitely good for your body, but they can’t cure heart disease alone. You need to focus on preventative care, such as routine check-ups, exercise, and a healthy diet, to lower your cardiovascular risk.

However, omega-3s can lower your risk of cardiovascular events when paired with other treatments.