At the autumnal equinox, the coolness grows thicker, and the sun shines on the streets, mild but not dazzling. sheetGrandfatherHe is a retired old electrician, and his biggest interest on weekdays is to study health care.

On this day, ZhangGrandfatherI decided to go to the pharmacy to buy some medicinal herbs and prepare to boil a pot of medicinal food for my family to regulate my body. As he gets older, he pays special attention to heart health, which is the key to the "longevity project".

Walk into the pharmacy, ZhangGrandfatherI met the familiar Dr. Li. The two chatted about health and wellness, especially heart health.

sheetGrandfatherRecently, I feel that I am walking more and more slowly, and at first I thought it was because I was getting older and my legs and feet were not so sharp, but I kept muttering in my heart - is there something wrong with my heart?

After all, ZhangGrandfatherWhen I was young, I stayed up late to work, and when I got older, my body was naturally not as good as before, and I always felt that I had to pay more attention to my heart.

Dr. Lee listened to his doubts and began to talk to ZhangGrandfatherExplore the relationship between walking and heart health. In fact, walking speed is closely related to heart health, and many people tend to think that the slower they walk, the better they can "stay healthy".

Dr. Lee cites a recent study that reveals a striking link between walking speed and heart health: studies have found that walking faster is not always better, but rather that a moderate brisk walk may be better for the heart.

This makes ZhangGrandfatherSomewhat surprised, he had always thought that slow walking was the best form of exercise, especially for the heart.

He remembers reading articles mentioning that walking slowly can lower blood pressure and reduce the burden on the heart, but he didn't expect that brisk walking might be better for heart health.

Dr. Lee further explains that several studies in recent years have shown that walking speed can actually be a good indicator of heart health.

Walking too slowly is not necessarily a good way to "protect" the heart, especially for older people, who may indicate decreased heart function.

A large-scale study in middle-aged and older adults showed that those who walked at a moderate or slightly faster pace had significantly lower rates of heart disease than those who walked too slowly.

The researchers analyzed the walking habits and heart health data of thousands of middle-aged and elderly people, and found that people with an average pace of 5-0 kilometers per hour tended to maintain a relatively healthy state of heart function.

Older people who walk at less than 3 kilometers per hour, or who walk slowly, have a significantly higher risk of heart disease.

The results of this study have challenged many notions of "slow walking". Although slow walking can help older people relax and reduce stress, if you keep your pace too slow for a long time, your body's metabolic rate will decrease, blood circulation will slow down, and your heart's ability to supply blood and oxygen will also be affected.

Especially for some older people with pre-existing cardiovascular problems, walking too slowly can be a warning sign from the body that heart function is gradually deteriorating.

sheetGrandfatherLooking back on my recent state, I do feel a little unable to walk, especially when going uphill or slightly increasing my pace, I always feel out of breath and my heart beats faster.

He thought it was just a normal sign of old age, but Dr. Lee told him that similar manifestations could actually be a sign of heart problems.

In addition, Dr. Lee mentioned that studies have shown that moderate brisk walking not only improves heart function, but also increases metabolism and helps with weight control.

For the elderly, maintaining a healthy weight is essential to prevent chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes. Brisk walking, especially at a speed of 5-0 kilometers per hour, can effectively burn calories, improve cardiopulmonary function, reduce body fat accumulation, and thus reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Li mentioned a case: one named Liuuncleof retired employees, who suffered from high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia when they were young, began to pay attention to their health after retirement, and chose to walk slowly every morning and evening.

However, his weight did not decrease, his blood pressure did not improve significantly, and later a heart function test showed early arteriosclerosis.

The doctor advised him to adjust his walking pace from slow walking to a slightly faster pace, and to stick to a brisk walking exercise of at least 30 minutes a day. After half a year, Liuuncleblood lipid levels have decreased, weight has been controlled, and heart function has improved significantly.

Therefore, walking slower is not always better, and a moderate brisk walk can bring more benefits to the heart. Dr. Lee advises that for seniors, maintaining a brisk walk of 45-0 minutes a day is the "gold standard" for heart health.

However, you don't need to pick up the pace all at once, but you can gradually adapt to the faster pace.

sheetGrandfatherAfter listening to it, I couldn't help but recall my usual way of exercising. He used to think that "slow is good", as long as he keeps walking, no matter how slow, he can, but he didn't expect that walking too slowly is not good for heart health.

Dr Lee further pointed out that a moderate brisk walk can increase the heart rate, enhance the heart's pumping function, and make the heart get a good exercise during exercise.

In addition, brisk walking also increases the level of HDL (good cholesterol) in the blood, which helps remove fat deposits from blood vessels and prevent atherosclerosis.

sheetGrandfatherI realized that I might have to pick up my pace a little bit. Walking a few kilometers slowly every day is good for relaxation, but from a heart health perspective, you still need to increase the intensity of exercise moderately.

Dr. Lee told him that the pace doesn't have to be too fast, usually maintaining a rhythm of 120-0 steps per minute, or feeling a slight increase in heart rate but still maintaining a conversation, even if it meets the "heart-healthy" standard of brisk walking.

Studies have also found that brisk walking is not only good for the heart, but also has significant effects on preventing other geriatric diseases. For example, brisk walking can improve insulin sensitivity and help control blood sugar, which is especially important for people with prediabetes.

In addition, brisk walking can also improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Especially for older adults, maintaining moderate exercise can strengthen the lower limbs and reduce the risk of falls and fractures.

sheetGrandfatherAfter hearing this, I thought to myself that I might try to speed up the pace when I walked in the future, especially when I arrived at the park, and try to walk as fast as possible, and no longer walk slowly like before.

He also remembered the scene where he usually walked with a few old friends, who used to talk while walking, but now it seems that it may be necessary to remind old friends that it is time to "work harder", after all, heart health is not maintained by stop-and-go.

sheetGrandfatherAlthough he understands the benefits of brisk walking to his health, he can't help but have some doubts: after all, he is old, if he really has heart problems, can he still walk at such a pace? If brisk walking increases the burden on the heart, won't the gains outweigh the losses?

Dr. Lee explains that brisk walking is good for most people, but for patients who have been diagnosed with heart disease, brisk walking is a case-by-case basis.

If the person's heart function is okay and there is no history of severe angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, etc., doctors usually recommend moderate aerobic exercise, including brisk walking.

Exercise not only helps improve cardiopulmonary function, but also lowers blood pressure and controls blood lipids, thereby reducing the burden on the heart.

However, for those with a history of serious heart disease, it's best to walk brisklyconsultationDoctors, according to their physical fitness and heart condition, develop a suitable exercise plan.

Some patients may be better off starting with slow walking or short periods of exercise and gradually increasing the amount of exercise rather than blindly pursuing brisk walking.

Therefore, although brisk walking is good, heart patients should still exercise according to their doctor's advice and do it gradually to ensure that they do not put too much burden on their heart while maintaining exercise.

Disclaimer: The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical attention offline.