Things to consider while walking for heart health
Prof. Dr. Murat Turfan shared six rules to follow during walks to protect heart health on the occasion of October 4 World Walking Day.
Cardiology Specialist Prof. Dr. Murat Turfan, in his statement within the scope of October 4 World Walking Day, shared six basic rules that should be attended to during walks in order to support heart health and ensure a safe exercise process.
Learning personal risks
It is recommended that individuals who have not exercised for a long time, use cigarettes, or have chronic conditions evaluate their health status before starting to walk.
Warm-up and cool-down phases
Keeping the pace low during the first and last five to ten minutes of the walk ensures that the body warms up and the circulatory system handles the load in a balanced way.
Pacing with the talk test
During moderate-intensity walks, one can speak but finds it difficult to form long sentences; being out of breath indicates that the pace is too high.
Spreading movement across the week
Aiming for at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per week and dividing this time across days creates a sustainable routine.
Meals and weather conditions
It is necessary to avoid brisk walking immediately after heavy meals, and to pay attention to conditions during excessively hot or cold weather.
Stopping upon dangerous symptoms
In situations such as chest pressure, shortness of breath, dizziness, or a feeling of fainting, the walk should not be continued and medical help should be sought.