Hyderabad: Physical activity does not mean working out in the morning either as brisk walk or visiting a gym for 30 minutes and then sitting on the oars for the whole day. It defeats the very purpose of exercise. It takes being on the move throughout the day to keep the body fit.
In a recent study in the Lancet, covering more than 1,31,000 people, it was found that ‘incorporated exercise’ like walking to the nearest bus stop, market, etc or doing the household chores may amounted to exertion and is useful to the body.
The study found among the respondents that 1 in 12 death cases and 1 in 20 cardiovascular cases were prevented. If a person is active for 150 minutes per week then 8 per cent of death cases can be averted.
The 10,000-step-per-week norm must be followed to maintain cardiovascular health. Dr Nekkanti Venkat Rayudu, a senior consultant cardiologist, said, “Physical activity not only helps the heart pump blood faster but also boosts the complete vascular system of arteries and brain vessels. The benefits are felt more when there is a combination of factors like less sitting, less fatty foods, control of hypertension and stress. All these factors are important to ensure a perfect body management. Increased stress in a low-weight person can lead to heart problems. Hence a balance must be in place.”
Desk jobs with six to eight hours of sitting lead to heart problems. Dr P. L. N. Kapardhi, a senior interventional cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals, noted, “Sitting for a long without a break increases the risk of heart diseases. It is important to take a break to ease the pressure on the blood. The risk accumulates over a period of time.”
Being on the move helps keep the body active and fit. Dr Ashwin Tumkur, an interventional cardiologist at Yashoda Hospitals, said, “Heart problems lead to extreme fatigue and brain stroke and affects the functioning of liver and kidney. For this reason, preventive steps are recommended.”
Preventive step
- Maintain a diet of low fat foods and also have fibre in your diet.
- Being on the move helps – hence if you are talking on the phone walking around helps.
- Do not sit in front of the TV or on the desktop for hours together. Get up and drink water or walk around your office.
- Opt for some form of physical activity like climbing stairs, walking from one cabin to another, going from one floor to another to keep yourself active.
- Eat on time and sleep well so tha the body does not accumulate too much of stress.
