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Focusing on heart-healthy foods that arelow in saturated fat and sodiumis an essential part of improving your cardiovascular health. But physical exercise is just as important.
Exercise alone can help better your heart health—evenjust 5 minutes a day— but if you’re unsure what type of exercise to start with, it can be more simple than you may think. We asked cardiologistDavid Sabgir, M.D.the loaded question: What’s the top activity or form of physical exercise that he recommends for heart health? Here’s what he has to say.
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The #1 Activity to Support Your Heart Health
The founder ofWalk with a Docgave an answer that shouldn’t surprise you—but we fully endorse it.
“I’m always encouraging my patients to introduce more movement into their sedentary lifestyles, and one of the easiest and best ways is to start with walking,” Sabgir tellsEatingWell. “Walking is low impact, safe and free—meaning more people can walk to see both its physical and mental health benefits.”
If you’re unsure how to incorporate walks into your lifestyle, we got you covered. There are plenty of walking plans for you to choose from, like this7-Day Walking Plan to Lower Blood Pressureor thisWalking Plan to Help Lower Your Cholesterol Levels.
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The Bottom Line
Both what you eat and how you move your body are important elements for improving your heart health—Sabgir calls it a “wellness puzzle.” Alongside a healthy eating pattern, including a walk in your regular routine is an easy way to add exercise into your daily life.
“Everything is connected,” Sabgir explains, noting that exercise, nutrition, sleep and even social connection are all “interconnected factors” for your overall health. “Making sure you’re taking small, manageable steps to create sustainable healthy habits can lead to more positive health outcomes.
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