--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, bob_brigante <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > > ************** > > Exercise may not be a critical factor in preventing heart disease, > which is probably due to diet factors: > > http://www.annals.org/cgi/content/abstract/140/12/1007 > > Conclusions: Aerobic physical exercise did not attenuate progression > of atherosclerosis, except in a subgroup of men not taking statins.
This study pertains to heart disease that already has evidenced itself, exercise by itself is unlikely to reduce plaque. Sometimes a very restrictive diet can reduce plaque. For westerners, lifestyle factors are a large part of heart disease, such as lack of exercise, bad diet and other bad habits like smoking. Plus genes. And bad luck. For example, instead of a plumbing problem you might have an electrical problem that has nothing to do with how well you have taken care of yourself. Either can kill you. Recommendations to see your doctor before starting an exercise program are partly CYA and partly because you might have a time bomb in your chest. Nevertheless, in general exercise is good good good, even for people who have cardiac issues if those issues are addressed as part of a treatment program. With all of these caveats, I tend to disagree with MMY's position that you shouldn't exercise yourself into a sweat. But if you come from a hot climate, you do have to keep cognizant of the heat when exercising and people often over do it in the heat. Heart rate monitors are good to have for those who exercise in the heat. And heck, if people would just walk 10,000 steps a day that would work just fine. >