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4 tips to observe for a healthy heart
04th October, 2025 09:03 AM
Your heart works nonstop to keep you alive as it works hard to pump over 7,500 litres of blood a day.
Yet, heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death globally.
However, the good news is that many heart problems are preventable through simple, consistent lifestyle choices.
According to Lynn Smith, who is a senior lecturer in biokinetics and Head of Department of Sport and Movement Studies at the University of Johannesburg, she details tips on how to keep your heart strong and healthy every day.
Also watch: Joy Mutanu’s inspiring journey through open-heart surgery
The human heart is an extraordinary organ, whereas the heart’s health is affected by factors such as inactivity, unhealthy eating and chronic stress.
Lynn reveals that, about the size of a fist, it works hard to pump over 7,500 litres of blood daily, delivering oxygen and nutrients to every part of the body while simultaneously removing waste, regulating core body temperature and supporting the health of organs and tissues.
But the heart is vulnerable. Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, responsible for nearly one-third of all deaths. Deaths related to cardiovascular disease contribute to 38% of all noncommunicable disease-related deaths in Africa.
How does exercise benefit your heart?
Studies show that regular exercise can lower blood pressure, improve cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, and help the heart work more efficiently. As a registered biokineticist and academic, my focus lies in managing and rehabilitating chronic conditions, including cardiovascular disease, through exercise.
Purposeful exercise, not just movement
While routine movement such as walking in malls or taking stairs is beneficial, structured exercise offers greater cardiovascular benefits. Current guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. Examples include brisk walking, cycling or dancing.
If lack of time is a barrier, consider breaking your structured exercise into bouts of shorter durations. For example, three sessions per day of 10-minute intervals.
Also watch: How to tell if someone is having a heart attack
In addition, muscle-strengthening activities, such as squats and wall push-ups, should be performed on two or more days per week. These improve metabolic health and reduce cardiovascular risk.
A biokineticist can assess your individual risk profile and prescribe personalised exercise interventions that safely enhance cardiorespiratory fitness, reduce blood pressure and support heart rate recovery.
Stay ahead of symptoms
Many cardiovascular conditions develop silently. Elevated blood pressure, glucose and cholesterol often go unnoticed until a serious event, like a heart attack, happens.
Research shows that one in three adults in South Africa has high blood pressure. Yet many are undiagnosed or untreated.
Optimally, everyone over the age of 35 – particularly those with a family history of cardiovascular disease – should undergo annual health screenings. They should use this to guide lifestyle interventions.
Break the sit cycle – move, strengthen, stretch
Modern life encourages long hours of sitting at desks, in cars, and in front of screens. Prolonged sedentary behaviour is independently associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.
Standing desks and movement breaks are helpful. But posture, joint mobility, and muscle function must also be prioritised. Regular stretching, resistance training, and balance exercises support musculoskeletal health and reduce the risk of injury or inactivity-related complications.
Beat stress with every step
Chronic stress contributes to inflammation, hypertension, and unhealthy behaviours. All of which increase cardiovascular disease risk.
While meditation and counselling are essential tools, exercise is a potent stress regulator, promoting endorphin release and improving mood, sleep, and emotional resilience. Endorphins are natural chemicals produced in the body that reduce pain and promote feelings of happiness, pleasure and satisfaction, thereby increasing wellbeing.
Research supports the use of aerobic and resistance training to lower depressive symptoms, reduce anxiety, and enhance psychological wellbeing. As a biokineticist, I often see how regular exercise empowers clients to reclaim a sense of control of their bodies as well as their emotional health.
