Walking for a healthy heart

Why is walking good for my heart?

Your heart is a muscle with fibers that allow it to contract and pump blood. When used during aerobic exercise, the heart becomes more efficient and pumps more blood with each heartbeat. Exercise, such as walking, also increases your muscles' ability to take oxygen from the blood. A more efficient heart can pump more blood with each heartbeat and deliver more oxygen and nutrients to other organs.

Test Your Knowledge

1. Walking is a form of aerobic exercise that elevates the heart rate and increases the efficiency of the heart.

1. True
2. False

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Author:	Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: January 25, 2007
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Cheryl Allind, RN, BS - Cardiac Rehabilitation Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology Neil J. Stone, MD, FACC, FACP - Internal Medicine, Cardiology
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