\n
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.<\/p>\n
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.<\/p>\n
Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe human heart is an extraordinary organ. About the size of a fist, it works hard to pump over 7,500 litres of blood daily, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body while simultaneously removing waste, regulating core body temperature and supporting the health of organs and tissues.<\/p>\n
But the heart is vulnerable. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly one-third of all deaths. Deaths related to cardiovascular disease contribute 38% of all noncommunicable disease-related deaths in Africa. In South Africa, cardiovascular diseases cause almost one in six deaths, equating to approximately 215 deaths daily.<\/p>\n
This underscores its significant impact on public health.<\/p>\n
The heart\u2019s health is affected by factors such as inactivity, unhealthy eating and chronic stress.<\/p>\n
This is where biokinetics plays a crucial role. Biokinetics uses the principles of movement science in rehabilitative and preventative healthcare. Biokineticists do comprehensive assessments to develop individualised, evidence-based exercise regimes. The aim is to optimise functional capacity and improve musculoskeletal strength as well as overall physiological health.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>The heart\u2019s health is affected by factors such as inactivity, unhealthy eating and chronic stress (Getty)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nFor biokineticists, exercise is medicine. They work closely with patients to design tailored exercise protocols that are safe and clinically appropriate.<\/p>\n
How does this benefit your heart?<\/p>\n
Studies show that regular exercise can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and help the heart work more efficiently. As a registered biokineticist and academic, my focus lies in managing and rehabilitating chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, through exercise. I have authored papers on nutrition knowledge, cardiac rehabilitation and quality of life and cardiovascular risk in coronary artery bypass graft patients.<\/p>\n
The rising prevalence of cardiovascular disease is largely due to inactivity, poor diet and stress. Given this backdrop, as a biokineticist, I recommend four things to help your heart.<\/p>\n
Structured exercise is important<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n Make time for purposeful exercise, not just everyday movement.<\/strong><\/p>\nWhile routine movement such as walking in malls or taking stairs is beneficial, structured exercise offers greater cardiovascular benefits. Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Examples include brisk walking, cycling or dancing.<\/p>\n
If lack of time is a barrier, consider breaking your structured exercise into bouts of shorter durations. For example, three sessions per day of 10-minute intervals.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Structured exercise offers greater cardiovascular benefits than routine movement (Getty\/iStock)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nIn addition, muscle-strengthening activities, such as squats and wall push-ups, should be performed on two or more days per week. These improve metabolic health and reduce cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n
A biokineticist can assess your individual risk profile and prescribe personalised exercise interventions that safely enhance cardiorespiratory fitness, reduce blood pressure and support heart rate recovery.<\/p>\n
Stay ahead of symptoms and know your vital stats<\/strong><\/p>\nMany cardiovascular conditions develop silently. Elevated blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol often go unnoticed until a serious event, like a heart attack, happens.<\/p>\n
Research shows that one in three adults in South Africa has high blood pressure. Yet many are undiagnosed or untreated.<\/p>\n\nAbout the author<\/h2>\nLynn Smith is a Senior Lecturer in Biokinetics and Head of the Department of Sport and Movement Studies at the University of Johannesburg.<\/p>\n
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Optimally, everyone over the age of 35 \u2013 particularly those with a family history of cardiovascular disease \u2013 should undergo annual health screenings. They should use this to guide lifestyle interventions.<\/p>\n
Break the sit cycle \u2013 move, strengthen, stretch<\/strong><\/p>\nModern life encourages long hours of sitting at desks, in cars, and in front of screens. Prolonged sedentary behaviour is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/p>\n
open image in gallery<\/span><\/button><\/p>\n<\/div>Standing desks and movement breaks are helpful (PA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\nStanding desks and movement breaks are helpful. But posture, joint mobility, and muscle function must also be prioritised. Regular stretching, resistance training, and balance exercises support musculoskeletal health and reduce the risk of injury or inactivity-related complications.<\/p>\n
Beat stress with every step<\/strong><\/p>\nChronic stress contributes to inflammation, hypertension, and unhealthy behaviours. All of which increase cardiovascular disease risk.<\/p>\n
While meditation and counselling are essential tools, exercise is a potent stress regulator, promoting endorphin release and improving mood, sleep, and emotional resilience. Endorphins are natural chemicals produced in the body that reduce pain and promote feelings of happiness, pleasure and satisfaction, thereby increasing wellbeing.<\/p>\n
Research supports the use of aerobic and resistance training to lower depressive symptoms, reduce anxiety, and enhance psychological wellbeing. As a biokineticist, I often see how regular exercise empowers clients to reclaim a sense of control of their bodies as well as their emotional health.<\/p>\n
Key takeaways<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n Protecting the heart is not just about managing disease; it\u2019s about preventing it. Don\u2019t wait for a cardiac event to occur before acting. Get help in assessing your risks, take ownership of your health, and implement movement-based strategies that improve lifespan and quality of life.<\/p>\n
In the face of rising cardiovascular disease rates, the message remains clear: move your body, know your risk, manage your stress, and seek guidance early. Your heart will thank you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more The human heart is an extraordinary organ. About the size of a fist, it works hard to pump over 7,500 litres of blood daily, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body while simultaneously removing waste, regulating core body temperature and supporting the health of organs and tissues. But the heart is vulnerable. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly one-third of all deaths. Deaths related to cardiovascular disease contribute 38% of all noncommunicable disease-related deaths in Africa. In South Africa, cardiovascular diseases cause almost one in six deaths, equating to approximately 215 deaths daily. This underscores its significant impact on public health. The heart\u2019s health is affected by factors such as inactivity, unhealthy eating and chronic stress. This is where biokinetics plays a crucial role. Biokinetics uses the principles of movement science in rehabilitative and preventative healthcare. Biokineticists do comprehensive assessments to dev…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12035,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12034"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12034"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12034\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12034"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12034"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12034"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}