Recognising the Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease: National Heart Month

Recognising the Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease: National Heart Month
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Annually the British Heart Foundation, the leading charity in the UK for research into cardiovascular disease, names February as National Heart Month.

In February we think a lot about the heart, due to it being valentines and the month of love. But we should also be thinking it for other reasons. Health reasons!

The aim of this month is to raise awareness for the work which this amazing charity do into researching heart disease.

The British Heart Foundation was founded in 1961 and since then mortality rates, relating to heart disease have declined. A massive positive for both the BHF and us, the general public.

However, this is not enough! And their aim is to further reduce these rates by conducting more research and educating the public on what the key risk factors are for cardiovascular disease.

What are the risk factors of cardiovascular disease?

There are many types of cardiovascular disease, however, the most common one in the UK is coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease is caused by fatty materials building up in the main arteries, often leading to a potentially fatal heart attack.

It is estimated that approximately 70,000 people in the UK will die each year from coronary heart disease.

On top of that, it is also one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Though this type of illness can be fatal, it can also be prevented or managed with just a few simple lifestyle changes.

There are many risk factors which are associated with coronary heart disease including, alcohol consumption, smoking, an unhealthy diet, and not participating in regular exercise.

It is also said that people who are obese or overweight are much more likely to develop coronary heart disease.

With 27% of the adult population being obese it is no wonder that coronary heart disease is taking more lives each year than certain cancers. In addition to this, 39% of adults in the UK are not meeting the recommended daily amount of exercise.

How can Sunshine Gym help to reduce your risk?

At Sunshine Gym, we design, manufacture and install a wide range of outdoor fitness equipment which is both gentle and vigorous dependant on how you wish to use it.

Our equipment is also a fun and innovative way to exercise, with multiple user machines allowing for workouts to commence with a friend, making it a sociable experience. Due to this fact, our equipment makes the perfect starting point for anyone who wants to make a lifestyle change, especially when trying to reduce your risk of developing coronary heart disease.

It is recommended that adults need at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. And though this number can seem daunting, if you break this down into 15, 10-minute bursts of exercise it really isn’t that difficult to manage.

Take a look at one of our example workout routines here!

Though it is recommended that one should undertake a mixture of both strength and cardiovascular exercises, for the purposes of reducing your risk, it is recommended that you focus mainly on the benefits of cardio.

Cardiovascular exercise is well known for its ability to strengthen the cardiovascular system, both improving lung capacity and circulation. Thus resulting in many benefits linked to a healthy heart.

At Sunshine Gym we provide a complete Cardio & Core Package, which focuses on weight loss, core strength and improving heart health. This package is great for parks and green spaces, in order to encourage the public to exercise more often, and with the intention of reducing their risk of developing heart diseases such as coronary heart disease.

Looking to improve your heart health through exercise? Find a Sunshine Gym near you today.

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