In this fast-paced era, vascular health is often overlooked until the numbers on the medical report ring the alarm bell. But don't worry, protecting your blood vessels can be as simple as that – a daily walk is a good medicine.
But how many steps do you take to keep your blood vessels young and vibrant? The answer to this question may be simpler than you think.
In today's society, cardiovascular disease has become one of the major diseases affecting human health. Vascular health is essential for maintaining normal physiological function, and daily exercise habits, especially walking, play a significant role in protecting blood vessels.
How many steps a day can I take to protect my blood vessels?
Walking is widely recognized as an effective means of maintaining cardiovascular health. Scientific studies have shown that walking in moderation not only improves blood circulation, but also significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease.
A team of researchers from the University of North Carolina in the United States found that women who walked 4,400 steps a day had a much lower mortality rate than those who walked only 2,700 steps a day. This finding highlights the importance of regular walking to prolong life and improve quality of life.
The Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents also give specific recommendations to encourage adults to walk 6,000 to 10,000 steps a day.
This recommendation is based on a comprehensive analysis of numerous scientific studies to provide the public with a realistic and feasible health goal. This recommended range of walking takes into account not only cardiovascular health, but also overall physical function and metabolic health.
Further research suggests that the benefits of walking on cardiovascular health may be related to a variety of physiological mechanisms.
Walking can improve heart function and blood vessel elasticity, lower blood pressure, reduce inflammatory factors, help control weight, prevent obesity, and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Moderate walking can also regulate blood sugar levels, prevent and treat type 2 diabetes, and delay complications.
In addition to the above physiological effects, walking also has a positive impact on mental health. Regular walking reduces stress, improves mood, and increases self-efficacy, all of which have a positive effect on cardiovascular health.
However, the health benefits of walking are not set in stone. Individual differences, the intensity and frequency of walking all affect its effectiveness.
For those who are new to walking exercise, it may be better to gradually increase the amount of walking to reach a goal of 6,000 steps a day. And for people who have become accustomed to regular exercise, 10,000 steps a day or more may be more beneficial to their health.
In real life, it is not difficult to reach the recommended amount of walking. Step count can be accumulated in simple ways, such as walking during the commute to and from work, or taking short walks between work.
Using devices such as pedometers or smartwatches can help individuals monitor and adjust their walking activity to ensure they are meeting their health goals.
4 reminders to keep your blood vessels clean
In addition to walking, other forms of moderate-intensity exercise are also beneficial for vascular health.
1. Exercise
Moderate-intensity aerobic exercise, including brisk walking, jogging, cycling and swimming, can effectively improve the blood supply capacity of the heart, enhance the contractility of the heart muscle, and thus improve the pumping efficiency of the heart.
This type of exercise also improves blood circulation, lowers blood pressure, improves blood lipid levels, and reduces the risk of atherosclerosis.
For example, one study found that adding 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per day reduced the risk of cardiovascular disease by 11 percent and all-cause mortality by 36 percent.
Another study showed that replacing sedentary hours with 5 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a day can have a significant impact on heart health.
It's important to note that the definition of moderate-intensity exercise is not set in stone, and usually refers to a heart rate that reaches between 60% and 85% of your maximum heart rate during exercise.
Specifically, if you are able to pant slightly during exercise, and can speak normally but cannot sing, then this intensity of exercise can be classified as moderate intensity.
In practice, how do you ensure that the intensity of exercise is at a moderate level? An easy way to do this is to use a heart rate monitor. By monitoring your heart rate, you can ensure that the intensity of your exercise is neither too low nor too high for optimal health outcomes.
In addition to cardiovascular health, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise has other health benefits.
For example, it can help with weight control, prevent type 2 diabetes, improve bone density, build muscle strength, improve sleep quality, and even have positive effects on mental health, such as reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.
By planning exercise in a scientific way, everyone can incorporate this beneficial habit into their daily lives and enjoy a healthier life.
For example, you can take a walk during your commute to and from work, or take a short walk between work to accumulate steps. Using devices such as pedometers or smartwatches can also help individuals monitor and adjust their walking activity to ensure they are meeting their health goals.
2. Eat a healthy diet
In modern society, atherosclerosis has become a common health problem and it is one of the main causes of cardiovascular disease.
Dietary habits play a vital role in preventing this disease. A low-salt, low-fat diet, along with an abundant intake of fruits and vegetables, is widely recognized as an effective strategy for maintaining vascular health.
The importance of a low-salt diet lies in its ability to lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. High salt intake is strongly associated with hypertension, which is one of the major risk factors for atherosclerosis.
The World Health Organization recommends that adults should not consume more than 5 grams of salt per day.
However, the modern diet often unconsciously consumes too much salt due to processed foods and eating out, which requires us to consciously choose low-sodium foods in our daily diets.
For example, fresh meats and vegetables instead of processed meats and canned foods.
A low-fat diet is also essential for preventing atherosclerosis. Too much saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids can increase the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in the blood, promoting fatty deposits in the inner walls of the arteries, which can lead to hardening of the arteries.
Therefore, choosing foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as olive oil, nuts and deep-sea fish, can help improve blood lipid levels.
In addition, fruit and vegetable intake is especially important for cardiovascular health. Not only do they provide a wealth of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, but they also contain a lot of dietary fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels and improve blood vessel function.
Studies have shown that consuming adequate amounts of fruits and vegetables each day can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, a daily intake of 400 grams of fruits and vegetables can significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality of coronary artery disease.
It's not hard to implement these dietary strategies. For example, reduce the amount of salt you use when cooking each day, and choose more fresh vegetables, fruits, and unprocessed foods when shopping;
When cooking, try to use healthy cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, and stewing, and avoid frying and excessive use of oil.
With these simple yet effective dietary adjustments, we can build a strong foundation for the health of ourselves and our families.
3. Quit smoking and limit alcohol
Research has long revealed the serious effects of tobacco and alcohol on cardiovascular health.
Nicotine and other harmful chemicals in tobacco have been shown to accelerate the aging of blood vessels, leading to hardening of the arteries, which greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.
As a result, quitting smoking is widely recognized as an important step in improving cardiovascular health. Studies have shown that after quitting smoking, heart rate and blood pressure drop significantly, blood monoxide concentrations return to normal levels, circulatory systems improve, and lung function increases.
Long-term quitting also significantly reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and stroke.
The effects of alcohol are more complex. The conventional wisdom is that drinking alcohol in moderation is good for the heart, but research in recent years has begun to question this claim.
The World Heart Federation points out that drinking alcohol at any level can be harmful to the body, and there is no "safe amount" for drinking.
Although some research suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with a reduced risk of ischemic heart disease, these findings do not mean that alcohol consumption should be encouraged, as alcohol consumption is still associated with many health risks.
For example, young and middle-aged women who drink eight or more drinks a week are at increased risk of coronary heart disease.
Smoking and excessive alcohol consumption are often accompanied by unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise, and high stress levels. These factors work together to exacerbate the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Therefore, in order to maintain cardiovascular health, public health policies should strongly encourage smoking cessation and promote moderate or complete abstinence from alcohol.
Healthy lifestyle choices, such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, and effective stress management, are also key to preventing cardiovascular disease.
4. Control the three highs
The three major health problems of high blood pressure, high blood lipids and high blood sugar are collectively referred to as the "three highs".
They are a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which not only increases the risk of vascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, but also may cause a series of complications such as kidney disease and retinopathy.
In the long run, hypertension can damage the vascular endothelium, promote the development of atherosclerosis, and increase the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events.
Hyperlipidemia refers to an abnormally high level of cholesterol or triglycerides in the blood, which can lead to the deposition of lipids in the blood vessels, the formation of plaques, and the narrowing or even occlusion of blood vessels.
As for hyperglycemia, especially in diabetic patients, long-term hyperglycemic states can damage vascular endothelial cells and increase the risk of vascular lesions.
For the "three highs", the medical community usually adopts two methods: drug treatment and lifestyle modification. Drug therapy directly regulates relevant indicators in the body through antihypertensive drugs, lipid-lowering drugs and hypoglycemic drugs.
However, medication alone is not enough, and lifestyle modifications are also crucial. This includes diet, exercise, quitting smoking and alcohol, reducing stress, and getting a good night's sleep.
Comprehensive management of the "three highs" requires a combination of medication and lifestyle modification. Through this two-pronged approach, the incidence of cardiovascular disease can be significantly reduced and the quality of life of patients can be improved.
Doctors and patients should work together to develop a personalized treatment plan to achieve optimal health outcomes.
Only in this way can we truly control these health risks, maintain our cardiovascular health, and live a healthier and happier life.
References are as follows:
[1] Effect of walking on blood pressure control