How Does Jogging Help Your Heart Health?
Regular physical activity is good for your heart. People who lead a sedentary lifestyle are at a higher risk for heart disease and early demise. Adding some form of physical activity can help improve levels of cardiovascular fitness and lower your risk of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, even moderate forms of physical activity (such as jogging) still count when it comes to increasing your level of physical activity. Understanding how jogging is beneficial to your heart comes down to how this form of aerobic activity helps lower the risk factors for heart disease.
What Are Some of The Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Diabetes mellitus
- Obesity
- Low physical activity
How Does Jogging Help Your Heart?
Jogging is a form of aerobic activity, meaning that it increases your breathing and heart rate. Your heart muscles become stronger the more you exercise and can pump more blood using less effort compared to someone who doesn’t exercise. Over time, your arteries will not need to use too much pressure to force blood through them, thus lowering your blood pressure.
Further, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that 150 minutes (per week) of moderate intensity exercise such as jogging, can help reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Also known as bad cholesterol, high levels of LDL increase your risk of heart attacks and stroke. Exercise helps lower your cholesterol levels by stimulating the release of enzymes that help remove bad cholesterol from your blood and direct it to the liver where it is converted to bile or excreted. Regular exercise will see this happening more often, and over time, your LDL levels will reduce to a healthy level and lower your risk of heart disease.
Another reason to grab your joggers and jogging jacket for a quick session is because jogging can help improve heart health by lowering your glucose levels. High glucose levels are a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Any exercise that prompts your body to use up the glucose in your system (for energy and muscle contraction) is good for your health. Exercise also increases insulin sensitivity allowing your blood cells to use available blood glucose more effectively. Remember that very intense exercise can have the opposite effect of raising blood glucose. To reap the benefits of exercise on your blood glucose, choose a moderate form of exercise such as jogging.
Studies also show that carrying excess belly fat is linked to heart disease. Jogging, combined with a healthy diet, can also help you to lose weight and lower your risk of health problems such as heart disease. Jogging helps you burn calories, and if you combine it with a healthy diet, it can help reduce body fat, including stubborn belly fat.
Need Help Kick-Starting Your Jogging Regime?
Jogging carries immense benefits for your heart without being too strenuous. You can take up this sustainable form of exercise and incorporate it into your weekly routine to reap its long-term benefits. If you are looking for some extra motivation, check out our collection of designer activewear that is designed for comfort and durability.