October 2, 2002 Features Keeping Your Heart Stress Free Sven Bellamy Features Editor Fitness buffs are forever rambling about the importance of keeping one’s body in shape. As a student however, and often in the real world, it becomes a challenge to fit exercise into a week- ly schédule. It may seem that finding time to get in a little exercise is diffi- cult, but even the busiest peo find time to work their h lungs. And really, what “worki should be all about, is settin body, rippled lines and a he: is to strength for circt First that the muscle in the hours each, f Car suffered from. sion, or heart increased ecau adrenaline and o1 mones wefe rel This natura under stress is a physical respo present in most living things. It is f of what is known as ~ “fight—or—flight” basic biochemical process necessary for our survival. Unfortunately, being exposed to high levels of adrenaline over extended periods of time can lead to stress-related heart conditions. It was causing physical problems for fire- fighters who had to deal with high stress situations while at work. A typical scenario might go like this a fire crew is sitting around the station house, when an alarm sounds. The crew members grab their gear, climb into their truck, arrive at the scene of the emergency and perform the neces- sary tasks of rescue, then, when the all clear is signaled, return to the fire- house. What happens to the heart in this situation is a change from normal to high stress and then a return to nor- mal. The adrenaline that was released © page 12 response, and is a into the body takes some time to be “worked off,” which leaves the heart and body under stress, even after the stressful event has passed. It was the presence of adrenalin that was found to be damaging to the heart. What the researchers in the case of Firefighters suggested as a as to place the firefighters ercise program. The goal was the heart. The firefight- nd at least 30 minutes of ming exercise, such as for longer of lifting was to At stress could be man- a eeilte a physical exercise routine. To a student, this information is key in developing a stress management strategy. Realizing that exercise is an important part of stress management should lead one to make healthier decisions when it comes to lifestyle. What follows are some suggestions on how to get that needed exercise— remember, it only has to be roughly three half-hour sessions each week. What kind of exercise strengthens the heart? Actually, any exercise that makes you breathe harder is working your heart harder at the same time. The more exercise you do, and the more fre- quently you participate in your choice of exercise, the more easily it should become to control your breathing. This is important to remember, for the simple reason that it acts as a test. It is a simple test based on how you feel. If you find yourself breathing hard when walking a flight of stairs, or if you start breathing heavily while moving from room to room, that is a bad sign for your heart. It usually means that your body is not able to circulate all of the necessary fluids properly, and could eventually lead to death of the heart muscle. Remember, the more exercise you do, the easier the exercise will become. It just takes a little time and determination to get started, and a lit- tle patience to build a routine. Start slow. There is no need, and it is quite unhealthy to push yourself too hard. Walking This is one exercise that is way under- rated. Walking is great and easy to par- ticipate in. When I was in Asia, | would often wake up early and go walking, partly because the streets were quieter, but also because I was so impressed with the elderly population who would be out walking too. I have tried to maintain that routine since coming back to Canada, but I admit it is difficult to want to wake up early when I am tired from studying. Realistically though, any time is good for walking. Walk to the bus stop, walk to school, walk to the store. Being a student at Douglas College offers a fair number of opportunities for walking. My personal favorite thing about walking is that I am exer- cising without feeling like I am exer- cising, and I can walk with my wife, which is good together-time too. The most important principle about walk- ing is remembering to wear good, sup- portive shoes. ao Bicycling This is a form of exercise that is fun for most people; however, it is a little lim- ited in the winter. It is difficult to describe all of the finer points about bicycling here, as it really deserves its own article, but remember to find a bicycle that fits—make sure you can stand with your feet flat on the ground while straddling the bike. Ensure that one foot can rest flat on the ground if sitting on the saddle. When pedalling, the knees should not be locking when extended, and should not be bending more than 90 degrees when pushing down on the pedal. Be sure to ask the other press questions about how to properly size a bike from a bike shop. Rollerblading Rollerblading is a great social exercise, and although it is very weather-depen- dant it is a great way to spend a sunny afternoon. The roller blades that are on the market now fit just about the same as a regular pair of shoes, and can be purchased at most sporting goods stores. The big suggestion I would put forward is asking the salesclerk to allow you to blade around the store a little. Don’t pay money only to find out later that the blades don’t fit prop- erly. (Iam not suggesting breaking any speed records, but getting a realistic feel for the fit is good before leaving the store.) a. Swimming A fitness promoter from the US, Covert Bailey, was asked to promote a new exercise machine (I can’t remem- ber which one). He said, “This is the best exercise machine invented since the swimming pool.” As someone who has always enjoyed the water, and any water-related sport, I really latched onto that phrase. The swimming pool really is the best exercise machine ever invented. Like bicycling, I could really devote an entire article to swimming, so I will only mention quickly a few highlights about getting exercise in the pool. It is a myth that one has to be a good swimmer to work out in the pool. A water workout works on prin- ciples of resistance, therefore any movement in the pool counts as work- ing in some way. Water is supportive, which means it is great for anyone with concerns about knees or back, which might be susceptible to sports- related injury. Water aerobics, or aquafit, as it is sometimes called, is very demanding physically, but the amount of impact is greatly reduced. Also, water running is gaining popu- larity as a cross-training exercise, and more frequently, is recommended by physiotherapists to assist injury recov- ety. Running Running is pretty much the best way to increase your heart’s endurance. If continued on page 13