Heart health important to overall wellness

After a long workout, one may feel fatigued and worn out, while excited to have completed a whole

30 minutes to an hour of movement and exercise.

Physical strength and weight loss may be good. But those are miniscule parts of exercise.

Heart health is one of the most important aspects of total wellness, according to YMCA health and wellness director Cathy Turner.

"If I could get people onto health and off their weight that would be good," she said.

Turner said a common misconception is that weight loss should be the main focus of exercise. Cardio she said is more important.

Cardio exercises, in essence, gives one of the body's most important muscles, the heart, a good work out. The word cardio is often interchanged with aerobics, a group of high-paced movements that helps to reach a target heart rate.

According to Turner, "large muscle movements" such as running, jogging, swimming and aerobic dancing constitute cardio.

"I need high impact to get to my peak," said Turner, who has been aerobically active for years.

Ideally, people should work 60-85 percent of their heart's capacity. The peak, which is the 85 percent, should be maintained for 30-40 minutes.

"When you have a healthy heart, your life will last a little longer," Turner said.

A calculator to determine your target heart rate can be found at mayoclinic.com/health/target-heart-rate/SM00083.

American Heart Association statistics revealed that in 2005, almost one in every five deaths was because of coronary heart disease.

CHD is the result of failed coronary circulation that bring substantial circulation to the heart and the tissue around it. Heart attacks and angina can result from CHD. Between 2005 and 2006, almost 9.8 million Americans had the disease.

Paula Wilkes has been taking the YMCA step challenge class for four years. Since the class, she said she has been eating better and has had a better feeling about giving her heart a good work out.

"I've always liked to exercise so its always been a good class to keep me going," Wilkes said.

The Step Challenge class is advanced and unlike typical aerobic classes. The class requires more stamina and includes more high-paced step

movements.

"This class is stylized so you can be at your peak heart rate for 45 minutes," Turner said,

In the class, personal trainer Melissa Gregg makes up the movements instead of using a video to steal moves from. Though heart health is very important, Gregg said total health can develop from cardio.

"I try to touch on every aspect of fitness," Gregg said. "You can't be a healthy person just with a healthy heart."

Shelbia brown can be reached at 740-5733 or shelbia.brown@timesdaily.com.