Even though February has come to a close, let’s keep the mind open to learning more on taking good care of the heart. If the heart, soul and mind are healthy, odds are greatly increased that your overall health is fantastic! As you know, the heart is a muscle and needs to be exercised to work efficiently and effectively. Aerobic exercise affects the cardio-vascular system; that’s why it is also called “cardio” exercise.

Interval training is becoming very popular because of busy schedules that prevent long workouts. Studies show that even a consistent 30 minute workout 4-5 days a week can give great results. An example of this interval training is to do 5-10 minutes of all out cardio/aerobics that gets your heart rate into the endurance zone, which is 70-80% of your MHR – maximum heart rate. Then, quickly transition into 5 minutes of toning exercises like push-ups, sit-ups, weights, wall squats, etc. Then repeat that cycle and end with some stretching. It is recommended to mix up the cardio by changing the type you do each time. For example, ride a bike the first set, then jog/run/walk as fast as you can for the second set.

The target heart zone varies depending on your level of training or intensity. The zones are based on a percentage range of the maximum heart rate (MHR), which is generally calculated as 220 minus your age. The two most used zones are the fitness or fat-burning zone and aerobic or endurance zone. The fitness/fat-burning zone is 60–70% of the MHR, and the aerobic/endurance zone is 70–80% of the MHR. Ideally, you should spend a little of your aerobic workout in each zone.

Let’s do a couple of calculations. A person forty years old would have an MHR of 180 (220 − 40). Therefore, to be in the fat-burning zone, the workout intensity would need to increase the heart rate to between 108 and 126 beats per minute. To gain endurance, the heart rate should be between 126 and 148.

Consistent, regular exercise also helps establish good sleep patterns whereas lack of physical activity that adequately tires the body can result in insomnia. Engaging in adequate exercise (30–60 minutes for 4 - 6 days per week) will help you to sleep more soundly. Just being “active” is not the equivalent. Busy-ness does not qualify as a good, regular exercise program. Don’t lose valuable sleep because of insufficient exercise.

Water for proper hydration is important. Blood is about 90% water when hydrated, and when the body is dehydrated, the blood thickens. What do you suppose happens with thicker blood? High blood pressure may not only be due to higher levels of fat in the diet; it may result from thicker blood due to lack of water.

If you are dealing with high cholesterol and taking a statin drug to lower it, please supplement with CoQ10. Statin drugs for “hypercholesterolemia,” which some doctors call a non-illness, have become more potent and are being prescribed in higher doses to increasing numbers of people--even those with “normal” cholesterol levels. What is often overlooked by physicians is that patients taking statins become depleted in Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), which leads to fatigue, muscle weakness, soreness and heart failure.

You can see how important and simple it can be to take care of your heart. So keep these suggestions handy for better heart health and the rest of your body will be happy, too.