VITAL STEPS

VITAL STEPS The Path to Vascular Fitness fit body

Itiswell-knownthatexercisecombats cardiovasculardiseasebybalancing bloodpressureandmanagingblood sugar,butaerobicexercise,notresistance training,takestheprizeforkeepingthe body’sthousandsofmilesofbloodvessels moresupple.A2017studypublishedin thejournalMedicine & Science in Sports & Exerciseshowsthatall-extremityexercise likebriskwalkingimprovesarterialflexibilityinolderindividuals;eventhosewith asedentaryhistory. Movingthebodyregularlyalsolowers stresshormoneslikecortisolthatcanignite damagingvascularinflammation.AWest VirginiaUniversitystudypresentedatthe 2016ExperimentalBiologymeetingin SanDiegoshowedthataerobicexercise fostershealthybloodvesselsinrats exposedtochronicstress. Combiningaerobicexercisewith gooddietandpayingattentionto triglyceridelevelsallhelptokeep usyoungfromtheinside-out.

Step It Up

Accordingtoa2015studyby theUniversityofMissouri SchoolofMedicinepublishedinExperimental Physiology, walkingjust 10minutesafterprolongedsittingcanrestoreblood flowinthelegsandimprove impairedvascularfunction. Resultsliketheseare anotherreasontogetup andmove.Walking, running,swimming,cycling, jumpingrope andplaying tennisareall excellentoptions. by Marlaina Donato “Forbloodvesselflexibility,anysortofsustainedaerobicexercisehelps.Findsomethingyouenjoysothatyou’llkeepdoing itinthelongterm,”saysAlexHutchinson, New York Timesbestsellingauthorof Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? Fitness Myths, Training Truths, and Other Surprising Discoveries from the Science of Exercise. TheToronto-based,Outside magazinesciencecolumnistunderscores thattreadmillsandwalkingoutsidefoster equalbenefitsbyincreasingtheheartrate.

TheAmericanHeartAssociationrecommends150minutesperweekofmoderateaerobicexercise.Dr.ReginaDruz,a board-certifiedcardiologistand medicaldirectoroftheIntegrativeCardiologyCenterofLong Island,explains,“Thistranslatesinto30minutesaday,five timesaweek.Aspecificexercise programmaybehelpfulforthose withamedicalcondition,but foroverallvascularhealth,any physicalactivitylikewalking ortakingthestairs willdo.”Druzalso highlightstherole ofnitricoxide:“One ofthemoststudiedmediatorsof vascularhealthis[nitricoxide], whichmakesarteriesflexible.” Researchfindingspublishedin2018inthejournal Hypertension spotlightthe correlationbetweenthe numberofdailystepsand arterialplasticitythrough atechniquecalledpulse wavevelocity,which measureshow fastblood travelsfrom thehearttothe feet.Theevidencesuggeststhat1,000 extrastepsadayfostersignificantvascular improvement.

JudyHeller,awalkingcoachand founderofWondersofWalking,afitness programinPortland,Oregon,concurs: “Movingthroughouttheday,notjustonce aday,ismostimportant.”Hellerisafirm believerinconsistency.“Myauntlivedto 107andremainedinherthree-storyhouse. Herwordstomewere,‘Judy,don’tever stopwalking.’Smallchangesyieldgreater rewardsovertime.We’remeanttomove.”

Superfoods and Supplements

Nitricoxide,responsibleforthedilationand contractionofbloodvessels,isproducedby exercisingandhelpstoprotectthesmooth interiorliningofthearteriesfromexcessiveplaqueaccumulation.Addingnitric oxide-boostingfoodstoanalreadyhealthy dietcangiveusanextraedgeovervascular conditionslikestrokeandperipheralartery disease.“Beets,arugula,spinachandrhubarbareallgoodsourcesofdietarynitrate. They’renotmiraclesupplements,butifyou makethesefoodsaregularpartofyourdiet, you’llhaveapositiveeffectonyourarteries,”saysHutchinson. ResearchbyFloridaStateUniversity publishedinthe Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dieteticsrevealsthataonecupdailyservingofblueberrieshelpsto protectthearteriesfromstiffness.Watermelon,richinthenonessentialaminoacid L-citrulline,alsopacksanitricoxidepunch. Full-spectrumvitaminEisanother goodoption,especiallyforaddressingperipheralarterydiseaseandreducingserum triglyceridelevelsthatareoftenseenassecondaryto“bad”cholesterollevels,butwhich lowlevelsarevitaltocardiovascularhealth. Druzcautionsagainstusingsupplementsassubstitutesforhealthynutrition andexercise,andunderscorestheimportanceofdialingdownstress,“Iadvisemy patientstobuildstressresiliency,which involvesrecognizingandpracticingstress response.This,alongwithnutritionand consistentexercise,willlowerinflammationandhelpbuildstressresiliency.”