Best exercises for menopausal women: Try yoga, swimming, walking to boost heart health, lower blood pressure
As women enter menopause, their risk of heart disease often increases due to hormonal changes, particularly the decline in oestrogen levels. This stage of life brings various physiological changes that can impact heart health. Engaging in regular physical activity is a powerful way to mitigate these risks and support cardiovascular wellness. Exercise helps manage weight, lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, and enhances overall heart function. Incorporating a variety of exercises into a daily routine can significantly contribute to maintaining a healthy heart and overall well-being during menopause. Prioritising fitness is essential for reducing the risk of heart disease as women age. Here are eight exercises that can help menopausal women reduce their heart disease risk, according to gynaecologist and obstetrician Shardha Arora from Gunjan Fertility Centre, Ambala. (Image: Canva)Brisk walking: Walking at a fast pace is a simple and effective cardio exercise that improves heart health. It helps lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels and improves circulation. Aim for at least 30 minutes a day to strengthen the cardiovascular system without placing too much strain on the joints. (Image: Canva)Swimming: Swimming is a full-body, low-impact exercise that boosts heart health by increasing lung capacity and improving circulation. It’s especially beneficial for menopausal women as it builds endurance and strengthens the heart without adding stress to the joints or bones, which can become more fragile during menopause. (Image: Canva)Cycling: Cycling, whether outdoors or on a stationary bike, is another cardiovascular exercise that supports heart health by lowering blood pressure and improving cholesterol levels. Regular cycling also helps with weight management, an important factor in reducing heart disease risk during menopause. (Image: Canva)Yoga: Yoga can help lower the risk of heart disease by reducing stress, which is a contributing factor to heart issues. Gentle yoga practices, such as Hatha or restorative yoga, enhance flexibility, improve breathing, and reduce blood pressure, promoting overall cardiovascular health. (Image: Canva)Strength training: Including strength training in a workout routine helps build muscle, improve metabolism, and strengthen bones, all of which are crucial during menopause. Resistance exercises like lifting weights or using resistance bands can lower the risk of heart disease by improving heart function and reducing body fat. (Image: Canva)Pilates: Pilates strengthens core muscles, improves posture, and promotes balance, but it also benefits heart health. It’s a low-impact exercise that can be tailored to individual fitness levels, helping menopausal women stay active while maintaining a healthy heart. (Image: Canva)Dancing: Dancing is a fun way to get your heart pumping. Whether it’s Zumba, ballroom, or even freestyle dancing at home, this aerobic activity improves cardiovascular fitness, reduces stress, and helps control weight, all of which reduce the risk of heart disease in menopausal women. (Image: Canva)Interval training: High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) involves alternating between short bursts of intense exercise and periods of rest. This type of workout can improve cardiovascular health, boost metabolism, and burn fat more efficiently than steady-state cardio, making it a great option for menopausal women looking to protect their hearts. (Image: Canva)
2024-09-16T07:33:21Z
Friday Favorites: The Healthiest Food Sources of Vitamin B12
What are the best green-light (whole food plant-based) sources of vitamin B12? The reason you have to take most B12-fortified foods three times a day is because it takes your B12 receptors at least about 4 hours to unload their cargo and be ready for the next tiny dose. At huge doses, like in the supplements and Leafside you actually end up largely bypassing the receptor system so you can do once a day (and for big enough supplemental doses once a week), but for the tiny amounts found in most fortified foods, like the nutritional yeast, and breakfast cereals, and plant-based meats and milks you have to get that 190% in three separate servings throughout the day. I mentioned a few nutritional yeast brands in the video. Here are a few more with their serving sizes for B12 content: • Lotus (Australia & New Zealand): 1 tsp 3x/day • Marigold Engevita (UK): 2 tsp 3x/day • Anthony’s Premium (Canada): 1 tsp 3x/day • Hoosier Hill Farm (Canada): 1 tsp 3x/day This is the third in a five-part video series on B12. Check out: • The Symptoms of Vitamin B21 Deficiency (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-symptoms-of-vitamin-B12-deficiency) • The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Adults (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-symptoms-of-vitamin-B12-deficiency) • The Optimal Vitamin B12 Dosage for Kids, Pregnancy, and Seniors (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-optimal-vitamin-B12-dosage-for-children-pregnancy-and-seniors) • The Best Type of Vitamin B12: Cyanocobalamin or Methylcobalamin? (http://nutritionfacts.org/video/the-best-type-of-vitamin-B12-cyanocobalamin-or-methylcobalamin) You can find all of these videos in a digital download here (https://drgreger.org/collections/downloads/products/b12-recommendations-digital), along with Do Vitamin B12 Supplements Cause Acne? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/do-vitamin-b12-supplements-cause-acne/) and Do Vitamin B12 Supplements Cause Bone Fractures and Lung Cancer? (https://nutritionfacts.org/video/do-vitamin-b12-supplements-cause-bone-fractures-and-lung-cancer/). And my recommendations are on my Optimum Nutrition (https://nutritionfacts.org/optimum-nutrient-recommendations/) page. New subscribers to our e-newsletter always receive a free gift. Get yours here: https://nutritionfacts.org/subscribe/. Have a question about this video? Leave it in the comment section at http://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-the-healthiest-food-sources-of-vitamin-b12 and someone on the NutritionFacts.org team will try to answer it. Want to get a list of links to all the scientific sources used in this video? Click on Sources Cited at https://nutritionfacts.org/video/friday-favorites-the-healthiest-food-sources-of-vitamin-b12. You’ll also find a transcript and acknowledgements for the video, my blog and speaking tour schedule, and an easy way to search (by translated language even) through our videos spanning more than 2,000 health topics. Thanks for watching. I hope you’ll join in the evidence-based nutrition revolution! -Michael Greger, MD FACLM Captions for this video are available in several languages; you can find yours in the video settings. View important information about our translated resources: https://nutritionfacts.org/translations-info/ https://NutritionFacts.org • Subscribe: https://nutritionfacts.org/subscribe • Donate: https://nutritionfacts.org/donate • Podcast : https://nutritionfacts.org/audio • Books: https://nutritionfacts.org/books • Shop: https://drgreger.org • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NutritionFacts.org • Twitter: https://twitter.com/nutrition_facts • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nutrition_facts_org
11/24/2023 12:59:52 PM
Constant fatigue, anxiety, depression? Here's how to prevent burnout, combat mental exhaustion
Burnout is a serious issue that can affect anyone, no matter how strong or resilient you think you are. It is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion, often caused by prolonged stress or overwork. It expresses itself in various ways, including fatigue, decreased productivity, and a lack of motivation. If you're feeling overwhelmed or burnt out, it's important to take steps to address the issue before it escalates. Signs of...
2024-09-15T06:13:23Z