A new year means new goals. One of those goals should be successfully managing your vascular disease. In many cases, this can be accomplished with lifestyle changes like diet and exercise instead of surgery.
How Does Exercise Impact Vascular Disease and Overall Health
Exercise is vital to your health. In fact, new research shows that it not only helps your heart and muscles but every cell in your body.
For a patient with vascular disease like Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD), it can help stop the progression and even alleviate pain. Being sedentary or overweight actually causes more issues with circulation, which is the exact opposite of what’s needed. With exercise, patients can also lower their chance of stroke and the growth rate of an abdominal aortic aneurysm.
How to Develop an Exercise Program
Exercise isn’t just a one time thing and must be done on a routine basis. Just like so many other things, the best way to make sure it happens is by scheduling it. Create a weekly exercise program and pencil it in on your calendar.
Your weekly plan should include:
- 30 minutes of daily cardio
- Examples include walking, jogging, swimming and biking
- 2 strength training sessions
- Examples include weightlifting, pilates, working with resistance bands and yoga
- Stretching both pre and post workout to avoid injury
Exercise tip! Walking is one of the best exercises for patients with Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD). Just remember to be patient with yourself. It took years for PAD to develop and it will take months to see improvement in walking.
Don’t get burned out! To ensure you continue with your exercise program, try these tips:
- Ramp up slowly
- Select an exercise activity you like (did you know gardening can help with strengthening muscles?)
- Get your friends and family involved
- Hold yourself accountable by updating an app on your phone (i.e. Apple Watch or My Fitness Pal) or keeping a journal
- Celebrate your progress
Before starting your exercise program, please talk with your doctor to make sure it's right for you and your vascular health issues.
Why Choose Vascular Associates of South Alabama to Help?
Our vascular physicians proactively work to combat vascular disease through lifestyle changes instead of immediately opting for surgery unless it’s absolutely necessary. They’ll meet with you to determine what changes need to be made as well as develop a plan of action including exercises that work for you.
Book an appointment today by calling 251-410-8272! Same day appointments available!
Contact:
Phone: 251-410-8272
Fax: 251-410-8273
Email: info@myvasadoc.net
Main Office: 1551 Old Shell Road
Mobile, AL 36604
Hours: Mon - Fri 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM
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