At the proverbial heart of the not-so-small matter of good general health lies perhaps the most important muscle in the body; the heart itself. This tireless little workhorse contracts rhythmically and consistently without fail, from inside the womb right through to our final moments of life. It squeezes blood out with each contraction, itself the natural transport system of the body, ferrying oxygen and nutrients to the life-sustaining organs and tissues that need it.
Unfortunately, these days our lifestyles tend to take a heavy toll on the functionality of this all-important muscle, and heart disease has become the leading cause of death in the Western world.
A combination of fatty foods, inactivity and stress is dealing a deadly blow to our wellness, health, and longevity. Heart disease creeps up on us slowly as arteries gradually become obstructed, yet strikes suddenly and dramatically when it’s good and ready. Indeed it is some-times referred to as the “silent killer”. That isn’t to say there aren’t any warning signs how-ever, and salvation duly rewards the vigilant.
There are a number of tests that can be performed by healthcare professionals to determine the health of your heart, but you needn’t wait until such tests are ordered as a result of absolute necessity. There is actually an extremely simple and easy test you can administer yourself, wherever and however often you like. It is a useful indicator of the health and fitness of your heart muscle, and you could even give it a try right now.
First you’ll need to locate a part of your body on which you can feel and measure your pulse. By placing two fingers on the front of your neck either side of your throat, or alternatively on your wrist under the base of the thumb, you will feel the pulsations of blood as it passes through the respective arteries in time with the rhythmic beating of your heart. Don’t press too hard, as this might actually impede blood flow and make it more difficult to feel. A light touch will do just fine. When you’ve located your pulse and are able to count comfortably and confidently, use a clock with a second hand or stopwatch that will allow you to count off the beats in any continuous 30-second period.
Whatever form of physical activity that gets you moving is going to be a good idea for improving the health of your heart
Just relax and breath normally while you take the reading, and when you’re done, double the result. If you counted 35 beats for instance, then you have a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute (bpm). If you are currently in a relaxed state, go ahead and try it out, and see how you match up in comparison to the following standards. It’s worth noting here that the most accurate results will be achieved first thing in the morning as you awaken.
Studies have cited various ranges of figures, but 75bpm can safely be considered as fairly average. If you’re close to that, then it’s likely your heart is of normal strength and functionality. Studies start to warn us about the risk of developing adverse health reactions as we exceed the 85bpm mark. A resting heart rate of 95bpm or more has been correlated with increased risk of heart disease, mental health problems, and premature death. If you find yourself close to this range then you might want to consider talking to your doctor about the health of your heart.
Such a simple reading as resting heart rate is so revealing because it basically shows us how much blood the heart is comfortably able to circulate at rest. The stronger the heart is, the more oxygen and nutrient-rich blood it is able to pump with every beat. The weaker it is, the more often it must beat in order to meet the same demands, thereby having to essentially work harder.
Personally, I would see anything above 75bpm as a call-to-action. Why settle for average? With a little exercise you can improve the strength of your heart and actively reduce your risk factor for developing adverse health conditions now and in the future. A resting heart rate below 75bpm therefore should be considered an indication of above average fitness. If you can dip below the 65bpm mark, then you can consider yourself fit. Below 55bpm? Then consider yourself very fit indeed.
Well-trained competitive athletes with a strong endurance element in their sport will typically reveal heart rate readings below 45bpm, and elite endurance athletes have been measured as far as the low 30s. So how do we actually go about lowering our score?
The beauty of exercising for a healthy heart lies in its utter simplicity, since pretty much anything will help. Any form of physical activity whatsoever that raises your heart rate under controlled conditions, and causes you to become short of breath to the extent you can just about still hold a normal conversation, will eventually lead to a lower resting heart rate and better health when repeated on a regular basis.
From hill or promenade walks to dance classes or lifting weights at the gym, whatever form of physical activity that gets you moving is going to be a good idea for improving the health of your heart.
Pick something you enjoy and can stick to and you won’t just reduce your risk of dying prematurely, but enhance and enrich the quality of your physically active lifestyle for long years ahead.
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