Sport is one of the fundamental tools to take care of your cardiovascular health, along with a healthy diet. It helps keep cardiovascular risk factors under control , helping to lower LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as raising HDL levels -popularly known as “good” cholesterol-, in addition to keeping diabetes, hypertension, obesity and stress.
Therefore, if you are one of the participants in the XIII Popular Heart Race , in addition to helping us raise awareness about the importance of practicing sports to prevent cardiovascular diseases, you will be taking care of your heart. But to enjoy that 10 kilometer race and the benefits that intense exercise brings, there are some recommendations to keep in mind according to the experts:
– Pre-sport recognition
Checking your cardiovascular health before performing a test such as a 10 kilometer race is important, since this way you can rule out diseases that predispose to cardiovascular complications with sport. The pre-sport examination , also known as cardiovascular screening or pre-participation cardiovascular assessment (VCVP), usually includes an examination of the cardiovascular system with auscultation, blood pressure measurement and tests that may vary according to the criteria of the medical professional , but in most cases they consist of an electrocardiogram , an echocardiogram , and the stress test .
– Train with enough time
Depending on the physical state of each person, the weekly hours of training will vary. But, in any case, it is important to start gradually and spend enough time preparing for the test . That is why experts advise having an individualized training program that allows you to arrive at the race in good condition. The objective is to face the test safely and efficiently, which implies not exceeding a certain weekly mileage. To guarantee good results, you can turn to an exercise professional.
– rest
Experts call recovery after training and rest before a race “invisible training” . That rest helps avoid the accumulation of physical fatigue, which can take its toll on you. Hence, it is advisable to always dedicate time to rest after physical exercise, adapting the load of physical activity to the performance capacity of the athlete throughout the training period.
– Hydration
If we drink less water than our body needs, some functions can begin to fail and even compromise cardiovascular health. Water accounts for between 50 and 70% of the body mass, and when that percentage decreases, the functioning of the organs may encounter difficulties. When practicing intense physical exercise, more fluid is lost, therefore, hydration is key both during training and in the final test . The general recommendation is to drink between 400 ml and 600 ml of water per hour of exercise. Water can be accompanied by salts -sodium allows you to maintain body fluids-, and approximately 0.5 g of sodium can be ingested per hour of activity.
– Attention to alarm symptoms
Body sensations are important when facing a test that requires overexertion . If during training or the test you notice chest pain, more shortness of breath than you usually have when training, an unexplained decrease in performance, palpitations, dizziness or lightheadedness, it is time to stop. Although these symptoms may not be due to cardiological causes, the recommendation of the medical group is to stop walking and consult a specialist to rule out any anomaly. It is advisable to stop the activity immediately and move away from the track, sit or lie on your side and ask for help.
