HIN Health Action e-Bulletin

May 24, 2007

According to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Report on Physical Activity and Health, inactive people are nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those who are more active. Many of us know that we should be more physically active, but often we have difficulty getting started. This easy-to-read guide from NHLBI uses science-based information to help adults develop a safe and effective activity program that can be sustained. Some important topics from the booklet are highlighted below. Also don’t miss other helpful information such as planning for success by choosing the right activity that works best for you on pages 20-23 and exploding common myths about physical activity on pages 17-18. Item #06-5714, for yourself, your patients, your family, and friends. For more information on the Your Guide Series go to http://hp2010.nhlbihin.net/yourguide Go for the Burn! Some physical activities burn more calories than others. Check out the chart on page 9 which gives calories expended during common activities, ranked by intensity. The list even includes some common household chores. Figure out how many calories you are burning up per hour for the activities you’re already doing! Beat the Heat By and large physical activity is a very safe and important way to help protect your heart. You do not need to spend a lot of money on a gym or exercise equipment to begin an activity program. With a few common-sense precautions you can play it smart while you increase your activity levels and begin to get fit. However, as the weather continues to warm up be careful not to overexert. Learn about the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke by going over the chart of symptoms on page 33.

Archived page, reproduced from a 2008 copy. It is reference material, not current guidance.