The famous French doctor Casanes once said: People live the same life as arteries.The meaning is that young people with blood vessels are young, old people with blood vessel failure are old, and people with blood vessel rupture will no longer exist

The famous French doctor Casanes once said: People live the same life as arteries.The meaning is that young people with blood vessels are young, old people with blood vessel failure are old, and people with blood vessel rupture will no longer exist. The importance of blood vessels in our physical health is evident.

As one ages, blood vessels also gradually age. Stress, emotions, and bad habits can further affect vascular health, especially after the age of 45. Protecting blood vessels,We often think of 'exercise is good for blood vessels', but what kind of exercise method is it?Is it difficult?

In 2022, a study published under the American Heart AssociationJournal 'Circulation'A study on 43 different countriesA total of 20152 adult participantsWe conducted a 6-year follow-up.

The research team divided participants into four groups based on their median daily walking steps: 1985 steps, 4178 steps, 6327 steps, and 10090 steps.

The results showed that participants in the second, third, and fourth groups had a 19%, 33%, and 43% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk compared to the first group who walked the least every day.

However, it is worth noting that,For participants aged 60 and above, walking approximately 6000 steps per day is associated with a linear decrease in cardiovascular disease risk,But when the number of steps exceeds 9000, the reduction in risk is not significant.

Based on the above results, researchers believe that for elderly people over 60 years old,It is recommended to maintain a walking volume of approximately 6000 steps per dayIt is more beneficial for maintaining cardiovascular health.

Walking is a daily exercise that we do, but how can we maximize our health benefits by walking? Xiao Ai shares 4 tips to help you walk scientifically and healthily.

1. Maintain appropriate frequency

Generally speaking,The walking frequency for males should be between 90 to 130 steps per minute, while for females it should be between 80 to 120 steps per minute.We can determine whether the pace is appropriate by whether it is comfortable to converse while walking. For example, a moderate pace can cause slight wheezing, but still allow for easy conversation.

2. The stride should not be too large

Taking a brisk stride can easily cause injury to the medial ligaments of the thighs, accelerate joint wear, and may not necessarily improve walking speed.During brisk walking, each step only needs to be taken 10 centimeters more than normal walking.At the beginning, gradually increase your stride and adjust it according to your own health status.

3. Pay attention to gradual progress

If you're just starting to walk and exercise,Starting from 10-15 minutes each time,Then gradually increase the walking time until each time reaches at least 30 minutes or more, in order to gradually meet the recommendation of moderate intensity aerobic exercise for at least 150 minutes per week.

4. Remember to warm up and relax before and after walking

Before starting walking,To do a good warm-up exercise,Include 5 minutes of gentle walking or stretching exercises to "activate" muscles and joints. Similarly, walking at a slower pace for 5 minutes at the end of the walk helps to restore normal heart rate while preventing muscle stiffness.

Blood vessels are like water pipes, which may become blocked by scale or rupture due to excessive water pressure after aging. Blood vessels also have two main dangers: blockage and damage.

If you find yourself experiencing the following four abnormalities recently,Be alert to the possibility of vascular aging,Timely seek medical examination.

1. Climbing upstairs feels chest tightness and pain

When feeling chest tightness while climbing stairs, this may beCardiac coronary artery stenosisThe signs of this narrowing may be caused by plaque and thrombosis in the blood vessels. This type of chest pain usually feels like a heavy object pressing on the chest, but attention should be paid to distinguishing it from shortness of breath symptoms caused by lack of exercise when going upstairs.

2. Intermittent claudication

If intermittent claudication occurs, it may beAtherosclerosis of legPerformance. It often occurs after exercise, resulting in leg pain and weakness due to insufficient blood supply to the legs. After resting for a period of time, the blood flow reopens and the symptoms can be alleviated.

3. Different blood pressure in both arms

Although there may be slight differences in bilateral upper limb blood pressure in normal individuals, if this difference exceeds 20 millimeters of mercury, it may indicateThe blood vessels in one upper limb may have issues with thrombosis or stenosis.

4. Continuously unconscious for a few seconds to minutes

If you experience a loss of sexual consciousness, sudden blackout or fainting, this may be a symptom caused by a blood clot or stenosis in the brain. This situation requires prompt medical attention as it may involveBrain blood supply issues,May cause more serious neurological problems.

Here are 5 key recommendations for cardiovascular health. By doing one more thing well, you can ensure an extra level of health:

1. Eat some cardiovascular protective foods

Choose food carefully,Increase the intake of foods that protect the cardiovascular system,Such as garlic, chili peppers, cranberries, grapes, chrysanthemums, carrots, broccoli, spinach, onions, eggplants, etc.

In addition, according to the recommendations of the Health Times, adults should include one-third of their daily diet in miscellaneous grains. Grains and miscellaneous beans are rich in high fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, while the intake of water-soluble dietary fiber helps to excrete excess sodium, thereby helping to prevent hypertension.

2. Do 2 "half hours" every day

Adhere to aerobic exercise,Perform at least two 30 minute workouts per day.Aerobic exercise is crucial for improving cardiovascular health. According to the research published in 2018, some experiments have shown that exercise can help slow down the growth of atherosclerotic plaque and reverse the degree of coronary artery stenosis. Although exercise is beneficial for cardiovascular patients, vigorous aerobic exercise is not recommended.

3. Controlling weight and waist circumference is important

Control weight and waist circumference, especially to avoid abdominal obesity.Weight loss is the key, as most of the factors related to the "three highs" (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hyperglycemia) are related to obesity. It is recommended that the waist circumference of adult males be controlled within 85 centimeters, while females should be controlled within 80 centimeters.

4. Alcohol restriction and smoking cessation

Smoking can cause damage to blood vessel walls, providing opportunities for cholesterol deposition and accelerating plaque formation.The earlier you quit smoking, the greater the benefits to cardiovascular health.Nicotine, nitric oxide, and oxidants in cigarettes can trigger sympathetic nerve stimulation, leading to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and triggering arrhythmias and heart failure. In addition, excessive alcohol consumption can also lead to problems such as hypertension and heart failure.

5. Adult sleep guarantee of 7-8 hours

A prospective cohort from the NetherlandsThe study included 17887 healthy subjects who initially did not have cardiovascular disease,And a follow-up study was conducted for 12 years. The research results show that people who sleep less than 6 hours per night have a 15% increased risk of cardiovascular disease compared to those who sleep sufficient 7-8 hours per night, while the risk of coronary heart disease increases by 23%.

It can be seen that short sleep time can increase the risk of hypertension, coronary heart disease, and heart failure. On the contrary,Maintaining sufficient sleep time of 7-8 hours every night and maintaining good sleep quality can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Summary: To protect blood vessels, we need to start step by step and start now. When feeling unwell and experiencing the above symptoms, it is also important to seek medical attention in a timely manner, seek medical advice, diagnose and treat early, and maintain good health.

References:

[1] As blood vessels age, so does the whole body! You need this "life-saving" guide! "Science Popularization China, 2022-09-05

[2] How to Determine Cardiovascular Health? Doctor: You can Look at These 8 Points! "Health Zhejiang, 2023-03-11

[3] Can you walk away with cardiovascular disease every day? But you need to reach this number of steps CCTV Life Circle. 2023-09-19

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