It’s homerun time. Baseball fans can’t get enough of their flat-screen TVs, from spring training to the World Series in October.
David H. Stone M.D. is a Vascular Surgeon who encourages armchair enthusiasts to join the game. “Find your favorite summertime sports pastime, and give your vascular system a great workout.”
Dr. Stone is a member the Society for Vascular Surgery and encourages exercise that can increase blood flow while lowering blood pressure. “More than diet, exercise helps keep your weight down and provides positive health benefits,”Dr. Stone.
The Mayo Clinic says that after a one-hour exercise, a 200-pound person will have burnt the following calories
* Baseball — 455
* Bicycling, 10 mph — 364
* Golfing, carrying clubs — 391
* Rope jumping — 1,074
* Swimming laps — 528
* Tennis, singles — 728
To continue “in the game,”Dr. Stone recommends the following:
* 30 minutes of exercise daily.
This could reduce stroke risk, which is fourth most common cause of death in America, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s 2010 NationalVital Statistics Report. Stroke was the leading cause of death in America in 2010, with 137,000 people dying.
* a healthy diet
* not smoking
* maintaining a healthy body weight
According to a 2003 study in Circulation medical journal, there are 250,000 deaths each year due to inactivity. The mortality risk for the least fit person is 4.5 times that of the most physically fit.
Lifestyle choices can affect blood flow and blood tension. High blood pressure is a common problem according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention statistics for 2010.
Non-invasive screening tests can be used to detect vascular disease. There are medications and preventive surgical options available for treating vascular disease.
VascularWeb.org provides free electronic and print vascular information.
