Issue link: https://blog.providence.org/i/1508569
Health Matters: Providence Mission Hospital | 11 HOW MUCH EXERCISE DO YOU NEED FOR A HEALTHY HEART? "Regular activity is one of the most important things in keeping your cardiovascular system in good shape," Dr. Alomari says. But how much exercise is enough to make a difference? The American College of Cardiology (ACC) recommends that adults do 150 to 300 minutes (2.5 to 5 hours) a week of moderate-intensity activity or 75 to 150 minutes (1.25 to 2.5 hours) a week of vigorous aerobic activity. "Moderate" activities include: • Walking briskly • Leisurely gardening • Cycling at a slower pace • Leisurely swimming • Playing doubles tennis or pickleball "Vigorous" activities include: • Jogging or running • Aerobic dance, including Zumba • Hilly hiking • Fast cycling or swimming • Heavy gardening (digging, hauling brush) The ACC also recommends that adults do muscle- strengthening activities two or more days a week. The group notes that the benefits of being active go beyond better cardiovascular health and include lowered risk of many types of cancer, including bladder, breast, colon, esophageal, kidney, lung, stomach and uterine. Exercise is also proven to improve bone health and reduce risk of dementia, anxiety and depression. During open enrollment, choose the health plan that covers the best doctors for you. Now is your time to be sure the highest quality specialists, for you and the people you love, are covered by your health plan. Providence earns your trust with the best minds in medicine. Choose world-class, compassionate health care. Kerrie and Kristine did. Read their heroic story of beating cancer. Choose a health plan that includes Providence. Health care is personal. ChooseProvidence.org PAT I E N T S T O R Y only 20, but you don't know why. Sometimes patients come in with atypical symptoms like dizziness or fainting. Some have intermittent back or upper-middle abdominal pain or discomfort. Women experience atypical symptoms more than men do. Why do people often fail to realize they have heart disease until it's advanced? In general, patients relate their symptoms to other causes. Sometimes patients think it's depression. But the main reason heart disease gets missed is because the person thinks the fatigue or pain is part of the normal aging process. The point for patients is that if they feel something is wrong, they should talk to their physician about their symptoms. Check your heart disease risk at providence .org/locations/socal/mission-hospital- mission-viejo/heart-institute.