Rating

	My Rating: 0 ratings 5 stars (0) 4 stars (0) 3 stars (0) 2 stars (0) 1 stars (0)

Email

	Email this page to a friend Friend's Email: Your Name: Your Email: Enter the code shown: Submitting Send Email

Want a healthy heart for life? Start exercising now

By Brittany Doohan

You may be investing in a 401(k) to secure a good life for yourself when you’re older — but what are you doing for your body? Investing in your future health is just as important as putting extra money in that retirement fund every paycheck.

A recent study published in the journal JAMA Internal Medicine found that exercising regularly early in life may be a great way to do just that. Young adults that work out may have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and higher survival odds later in life than their peers who don’t hit the gym as much.

Starting in 1985, researchers followed 4,900 adults ages 18 to 30 for nearly 30 years, performing multiple fitness tests along the way. In their later assessment, they found that each extra minute participants lasted on a treadmill during their test was linked to a 12% lower risk of heart disease and a 15% decreased risk of death from a cardiac event.

While it’s true that fitness has long been linked to a strong ticker, the new study shows that getting enough physical activity before cardiovascular problems start may help stop them from developing in the first place.

Experts recommend 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise (that’s like brisk walking) or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (that’s the equivalent of jogging).* An easy goal to remember? Thirty minutes of activity a day, five times a week.

*Before you do any new exercise routine, check with your doctor to learn which activities are safe for you. When you have diabetes, you may have to take a few extra precautions to work out safely. Try to check your blood sugar before, during and after exercise to make sure it's within target range. While exercising for 30 minutes five times a week is usually recommended, you may have to start more slowly, especially if you're new to working out.

Published March 31, 2016.

Brittany Doohan is a health and lifestyle writer and editor living in San Francisco.