Keep your cardiovascular system in tip-top shape with these expert-approved workouts.
Words: Chantelle Pattemore
If exercise were a pill, its numerous benefits would be hitting headlines daily. It offers us improved mental wellbeing and cognition, strengthened muscles and bones, and a reduced risk of health concerns such as diabetes. But, arguably, some of the greatest benefits of this free life-enhancer relate to heart health.
Taking steps to support the heart is important at any age, but especially as we get older. Age brings wear and tear and hormonal shifts – namely the decline in estrogen levels from midlife onwards – that put a strain on cardiovascular health, says Dr Fionnuala Barton, a GP and BMS advanced menopause specialist (themenopausemedic.com).
For instance, she reveals, reduced estrogen can cause blood vessels to become less flexible and narrower, leading to increased blood pressure. ‘Low estrogen levels can also encourage ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol to increase, leading to a higher risk of blood vessels becoming blocked and manifesting as heart attacks or strokes,’ she continues. Furthermore, when estrogen declines, ‘this gives rise to more inflammation in blood vessels and reduced ability for [them] to adequately repair’.
Cardio vs strength
You’d be forgiven for thinking that cardio or aerobic training is the best option for maintaining a healthy heart – after all, a session on the treadmill definitely gets the blood pumping. But strength training can be equally advantageous for our cardiovascular system (as well as lean muscle mass, which can also take a hit as we age).
Because aerobic exercise causes the heart (which is a muscle) to work harder, it simultaneously helps strengthen it. Furthermore, ‘cardio exercises increase heart rate and improve cardiovascular endurance,’ says Mitch Raynsford, ASCC, lead physical performance coach at P3RFORM (p3rform.co.uk).
‘They enhance the efficiency of the heart in pumping blood, which can lead to a lower resting heart rate and improved blood flow. This helps lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure.’ Studies also show that getting 120 minutes of cardio exercise per week can aid in maintaining good HDL cholesterol levels.
On the other hand, strength and resistance training is associated with ‘increased muscle mass, which can enhance insulin sensitivity and metabolic rate,’ Mitch explains. ‘It can also lead to improved cholesterol profiles, lower blood pressure and better overall heart function.’
