How does exercise prevent heart attacks?

Internal inflammation is what leads to weakening of artery walls, and the need for the body to create cholesterol “band aids” to strengthen them.  If there is no inflammation, the need for band aids is reduced and your arteries remain strong and flexible.

Vigorous exercise is a proven way to reduce systemic inflammation – and now, so is a stroll.  British researchers found that walking 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week effectively lowered three markers for internal inflammation (TNF alpha, interleukin-6, and C-reactive protein).  That means that this level of exercise reduces your risk of heart disease (blocked arteries) and other illnesses.

Walk 30 minutes a day every day, no matter what – and then call someone.
Other research has found that walking a half-hour a day decreases the risk of having a heart attack by about 30%.  If you succeed at walking daily, you can also succeed at doing other things to improve health.  If you skip, you’ll start compromising health in other ways too.

It’s best to have a partner to walk with every day.  But if you don’t have a partner, calling someone every day after you exercise is crucial.  Why?  Because that’s the real commitment.

Find a person who’s supportive and will not nag but will call if you haven’t called him or her.  And by the way, it usually is a “her.”  Men tend to be lousy at this.

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