- Regular exercise, like high-intensity interval training (HIIT), supports heart health.
- HIIT may help cardiovascular fitness, regulate blood pressure and improve brain health.
- Small, consistent daily movements add up, making it easier to meet your goals.
February is Heart Health Month, and the American Heart Association hosts their Red Dress Collection Concert at the end of January each year to kick it off. At the event, I asked a couple of the cardiologists in attendance for their heart-healthy advice, and they had some sharp insights to share.
In conversations with cardiologists Tara Narula Cangello, M.D., and Evelina Grayver, M.D., I asked them each a pressing question: What’s a habit that someone could pick up and see immediate benefits for their heart? Their answers were very, very similar.
Both doctors stress the importance of exercise in a routine, and they explain why it’s so beneficial for the cardiovascular system.
“I know that everybody sort of knows it, but I think that exercise at times gets sort of pooh-poohed as more of an aesthetic component,” Grayver says. “When you exercise, you lower your blood pressure. When you exercise, you really are able to treat your diabetes. When you exercise, you mentally help yourself. So when it comes to exercise, it really covers a lot of those staple key features that we always talk about.”
“I think exercise is a really big one because it’s great for heart health, but it’s also great for stress reduction, bone health, muscles, everything,” Narula agrees.
Now that we know that exercise is great in general, what forms of movement do the cardiologists recommend for better heart health? They—and the AHA—have some suggestions.
“The American Heart Association always recommends at least 30 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise five days a week,” Grayver notes. “What I have seen that works, especially for women, is high-intensity interval training. When you do high-intensity interval training, you’re really, truly conditioning your heart to be in a much better shape.”
Also known as HIIT, high-intensity interval training is an exercise cycle that rotates short, intense movements—think high knees, pushups, jumping jacks—for a full-body, roughly 20-minute workout. This form of exercise has heart-healthy benefits (like regulating your blood pressure), but it’s not just great for keeping your blood pumping. It may also benefit your cognitive function, and regular HIIT can help aid in healthy weight loss, if that is your goal.
“People think they have to jump into a huge exercise routine, but even just little bits [of exercise] every single day, all of a sudden it will add up to the total amount that you should be getting each week,” Narula says.
Whether you’re partial to HIIT or daily walks, moving your body is key to keeping your body healthy, especially when it comes to your cardiovascular health. Take this as your sign to go for a walk or run, or try out that new workout class that you’ve had your eye on. And finish off the day with a heart-healthy dinner, like our low-sodium, high-fiber, omega-3-rich Roasted Salmon with Smoky Chickpeas & Greens.
