Читать книгу DASH Diet For Dummies - Sarah Samaan - Страница 20

Being active daily is essential for a healthy lifestyle. Before you start calculating the cost of a gym membership and fancy workout clothes, it’s important to understand that getting more daily activity can be as simple as putting on your sneakers and walking out the door. Combat the modern sedentary lifestyle by looking for simple ways to add daily activity: taking a ten-minute walk break, choosing to use the stairs, walking where you may normally drive, sweeping the porch more often, or committing to housework or yard maintenance.

While you’re busy getting more active, why not add in some exercise? It’s nearly impossible to be healthy without regular exercise. By exercising two and a half hours each week, you’ll lower your blood pressure, reduce your stress level, burn some calories, and cut your risk of heart disease, stroke, and dementia a well-worth-it 30 percent. If hitting the gym’s your thing, go for it! If you’re a weight lifter, just make sure you get a good balance of aerobic exercise along with the resistance training. Yoga and Pilates are also terrific ways to take care of your body and encourage serenity of mind, but adding in some walking, running, biking, or swimming to your weekly routine helps keep your heart even stronger.

Exercise isn’t just for the young and fit. Just about anyone can do it, and you can usually find something that works with any limitations you may have. Remember, though, that anytime you’re beginning a new exercise regimen or bumping up the intensity of a current routine, you need to check in with your doctor to be sure your plan makes good health sense for you.

Because exercise can lower blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, you want to keep track of your numbers when you get started. If you have hypertension, high cholesterol, or diabetes, don’t be surprised if, eventually, you don’t require as much medication to keep the problem under control.