How Exercise and Daily Movement Support a Healthy Heart

Physical activity has a positive influence on nearly every biomarker associated with cardiovascular health: It helps lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, and reduce inflammation.

“Exercise is really the best medicine,” says Marine. “If you look at the benefits that have been documented in study after study, it’s hard to find any intervention in all of medicine that is more effective in improving cardiovascular health.”

Aerobic exercise — think walking, running, cycling, or swimming — has long been the centerpiece of cardiac rehabilitation and prevention. It strengthens the heart muscle, improves circulation, and enhances the body’s ability to use oxygen. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, which breaks down to about 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

Strength training offers key benefits too. Greater muscle mass improves glucose metabolism and reduces the risk of insulin resistance and inflammation.

Finally, regular movement supports emotional well-being, reduces stress, and enhances sleep — all of which are key for cardiometabolic health. Marine notes that mind-body practices, like yoga, can be especially powerful in this regard. “There are a number of intriguing studies showing that yoga can reduce and mitigate heart disease,” he says.

If you’ve experienced a cardiac event, return to ­exercise slowly, in a supervised program.