Heart to Heart: How exercise boosts your heart health

Heart health - what is it?

Heart health refers to how well your cardiovascular system functions. This system includes the heart and blood vessels. The heart acts as a pump, delivering blood throughout your body with enough pressure to reach all areas. Blood vessels are the network of tubes that carry blood to every part of your body.

Maintaining a healthy cardiovascular system is crucial. The body’s organs and tissues rely on the blood pumped by the heart to provide the oxygen and nutrients needed to function properly. When we talk about heart health, we usually mean the strength of the heart muscle to pump blood efficiently and the condition of the blood vessels. For optimal heart health, these blood vessels should be flexible, strong, and free from blockages, ensuring smooth blood flow.

Why is heart health important?

Keeping your heart healthy by managing your blood pressure and cholesterol levels is crucial for reducing the risk of heart disease.

Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your arteries as the heart pumps. Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) can strain your heart and damage your blood vessels.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance your body needs to build cells. However, too much cholesterol can clog your arteries. Maintaining balanced cholesterol levels is essential for heart health. High levels of LDL ("bad") cholesterol can lead to plaque buildup in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease. On the other hand, HDL ("good") cholesterol helps protect your heart by keeping your blood vessels clear of blockages.

What does heart health have to do with diabetes?

If you have diabetes, taking care of your heart is especially important because people with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing heart disease.

This increased risk is because diabetes often leads to high blood pressure and unbalanced cholesterol levels, such as high LDL ("bad") cholesterol and low HDL ("good") cholesterol. Additionally, diabetes can affect blood glucose levels, and over time, high blood glucose can damage blood vessels, increasing the risk of blockages.

If you have diabetes, it's crucial to regularly monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, along with your glucose levels, to protect your heart health.

How does exercise boost heart health?

There’s no single type of exercise that benefits heart health—both aerobic and resistance exercises are great for your heart.

Aerobic exercise, also known as "cardio," includes any activity that gets your heart pumping and your lungs working harder. Examples include running, jogging, swimming, cycling, dancing, brisk walking, and aerobics classes like Zumba.

Resistance exercise, or strength training, doesn’t just build muscles—it also benefits your heart. This type of exercise includes lifting weights, using resistance bands, or doing bodyweight exercises like push-ups and squats.

Regular aerobic and resistance exercise boosts heart health in several ways:

• Heart efficiency – just like the muscles in your arms or legs, your heart muscle can become stronger and pump blood more efficiently with regular exercise.
• Blood vessel health – exercise keeps your blood vessels strong and flexible, allowing blood to flow more easily.
• Blood pressure – exercise helps lower blood pressure, reducing strain on the heart and blood vessels.
• Cholesterol levels – exercise improves cholesterol balance by reducing LDL ("bad") cholesterol and raising HDL ("good") cholesterol, lowering the risk of blockages in your blood vessels.

How much exercise is needed to boost heart health?

To keep your heart healthy, it's important to include both aerobic and resistance exercises in your weekly routine. If you're just starting out, aim for 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on 3 days a week, plus 2 resistance training sessions each week.
Resistance training can be a great alternative if you have reduced mobility or find aerobic exercises challenging. While aerobic activities often involve a lot of movement, resistance training can be done while sitting and using equipment like resistance bands or light weights.

Want support to start exercising?

Diabetes Victoria offers two specialised diabetes education programs focused on exercise. These programs are designed to help you incorporate physical activity into your routine safely and effectively. You can also contact the Diabetes Victoria Clinic to discuss your exercise needs our team.

Ready Set Go, Let’s Move

Knowing where to start and how to stay motivated can be tough. This is where Ready Set Go, Let’s Move comes in. Get support and be empowered to take the first step in making exercise a part of your routine, or perhaps increasing the amount you are already doing.

The Ready Set Go, Let’s Move program covers:

• The positive effects exercise can have on blood glucose levels
• What could be stopping you from being more active
• Your personal step-by-step plan of action.

You’ll also get a booklet with exercises you can do at home with minimal equipment. So, don’t wait—get ready, set, go!

Click here for available programs

Beat It: Physical Activity & Lifestyle Program

Beat It is an 8-week group exercise and lifestyle program to help you better manage your diabetes and improve your general health. This program involves moderate intensity aerobic, strength and balance-based exercises as well as education sessions on healthier living.

The Beat It program includes:

• An initial health and fitness assessment
• 16 group sessions (two per week)
• An individualised exercise program tailored to your abilities
• Education sessions on various diabetes management topics
• Progress tracking
• A final consultation.

Whether you have exercised before or need some help getting started, the Beat It program will help you on your journey to a healthier and more active life.

Click here for available programs