Move Your Way to Better Heart Health Published Feb. 6, 2014 By Marie Maroun Health.mil FALLS CHURCH, Va., -- Meeting physical fitness standards may be a requirement for service members, but being active is essential for everyone - beginning with early childhood and spanning well into retirement. Regular physical activity helps prevent health problems such as diabetes, high blood pressure and cancer. It also helps control your weight, build muscle, reduce fat, improve sleep and relieve tension and anxiety. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends one hour of cardio activity every day for youngsters ages six to 17. Adults ages 18 to 64 should get at least two-and-a-half hours a week of moderate to intense physical activity. Adults age 65 and over should maintain this same level of activity as long as they are still in good health. Activities for Children's Heart Health Daily cardio exercise for youngsters can range from bicycle riding to taking the dog on a brisk walk to playing in a youth soccer league. Ensuring that your children start enjoying physical activity at an early age makes it more likely that they will keep doing it well into adulthood, which is important for their cardiovascular and metabolic health. To motivate your children to get moving, you can - · Encourage them to try a new sport · Buy them toys that involve physical activity such as a jump rope or balls · Limit the amount of time they sit in front of a screen (TV, iPad, game device) · Walk or bike with them to school · Spend time as a family engaging in physical activity, since children copy their parents' behavior Activities for Adults' Heart Health As adults, we often find it hard to make time for physical activity, and we tend to sit a lot, whether at work, while driving or watching television in the evening. Planning out a weekly fitness schedule that includes a at least two-and-a-half hours of cardiovascular activity, however, is a good idea since that type of exercise helps prevent high blood pressure, protect against heart disease and lower your blood cholesterol level. Physical activity can include jogging, taking brisk walks, swimming, playing tennis, ballroom dancing, water aerobics, hiking, playing basketball or biking. The list is endless, and you don't necessarily need to take a class. Brief spurts of heart-pumping physical activity throughout the day can be just as beneficial as blocking out a larger chunk of time for cardio activity. To get yourself motivated to move more, you can - · Create a weekly exercise schedule with a spouse, friend or coworker, slowly building up the amount of the time spent on physical activity · Take your kids biking or hiking on the weekends at least twice a month · Do jumping jacks or run in place during television commercials. Encourage your children to do the same · Walk or bike to work if possible or to the nearest public transportation · Park further away from your destination and take the stairs instead of the elevator · Take 10-minute breaks at work every hour to walk around and stretch · Consider using a mobile app that records and tracks your physical activity · Take a ballroom dancing or water aerobics class · Contact your local military Retiree Office to inquire about activities involving physical fitness Being physically active doesn't have to be a chore. Find a couple of fun weekly physical activities to do with your children, spouse or friends to help you live a long, healthy life. Additional Information: For more information on physical activity, please visit the following sites: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans from the Department of Health and Human Services American Heart Association - Physical Activity Let's Move! Get Active National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's "We Can" movement Operation Live Well