Digital devices are changing the way we take care of ourselves, especially when it comes to health. heart. It is estimated that more than 6 billion adults in the world have access to a smartphonean object that can become a powerful ally for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
The Argentine Society of Cardiology (SAC) designed the free app App-iewhich helps monitor daily activity in a simple way with your mobile phone or smart watch. Allows count steps, calculate the estimated calories expended during exercise and provides healthy advice.
Besides, progress can be shared with doctorso the professional has access to personalized data and can recommend healthy goals to improve quality of life according to individual habits. The application can be downloaded at free form from Google Play and Apple Store, and is useful for both patients with cardiac history and the general population.
Only one in five adults and teenagers gets enough exercise to maintain good health. Being more active can improve brain and emotional performance, make us sleep better, and also make daily tasks easier. “If you lead a sedentary life, starting to reduce the time you sit is an excellent first step“recommends the American Heart Association (AHA).
Eating healthy and staying active are some of the most important things you can do to prevent heart disease and improve overall well-being, notes the American Heart Association.
Physical activity is one of the best ways to take care of your heart and prevent diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and high cholesterol. Scientific evidence shows that walking is a simple but very effective exercise.
“Walking is one of the easiest ways to increase your physical activity level and improve your health. It is an aerobic exercise that also increases the capacity of the lungs to receive oxygen, lowers blood pressure, helps reduce body fat and improves blood sugar and cholesterol levels,” said the cardiologist. Gonzalo Diaz Babiodirector of the SAC Exercise Cardiology Council.
Many people want to improve their health, but don’t know where to start, the good news is that drastic changes are not needed to protect the heart. Walk at least 30 minutes a day, five days a weekmay be enough to increase life expectancy and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
Every step the user takes is automatically recorded on the device, and the app will display the number of calories burned based on the estimate made, creating a sense of accomplishment and motivation to keep moving forward. For the design and realization of App-ie, the SAC had the support of the Lepetit laboratory.
The use of technology in health not only helps to be more aware of one’s habits, but also allows a better communication with the doctorsince through App-iethe cardiologist or other health professional can access the patient’s physical activity records. This will allow the doctor to guide and adjust the patient’s goals according to actual physical activity, and if necessary, they can send reminders so that the person continues working on their goals.
“The app represents a tool for the doctor, to help him encourage his patients to carry out physical activity, a way to monitor or have a reliable idea of the activity carried out by each patient and generating a community with their patients. “It is very useful to raise people’s awareness about the value of exercise in an interactive and fun way,” the doctor concluded. Diaz Babio.
The American Heart Association notes that counting steps is an effective way to measure progress in physical activity. Although the goal of walking 10,000 steps a day is widely known, a study published in JAMA Network Open rrevealed that walking at least 7,000 steps per day reduces the risk of death among 50% y 70% compared to those who walk less.
However, the benefits of exercise to prevent cardiovascular disease can be seen with just a few 2,600 steps a dayaccording to a revision of studies published in 2023 in the journal Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
He walking pace It is also important. According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicinewalking at a brisk pace can reduce the risk of death in a 24%. Additionally, research suggests that brisk walking may offer similar benefits in terms of reduction of blood pressure, cholesterol and risk of diabetes.
The ideal speed is greater than 5 km/hsince this is equivalent to an effort of more than three times the energy expended at rest. However, walking more slowly, at a speed of 3 km/h It can also be beneficial if done in earringas in a treadmill walk with an incline of 3.5%.
Finally, to identify the intensity, the criterion of difficulty conversing: At a brisk pace you can talk easily, at a moderate pace you have some difficulty, and at a vigorous pace it is almost impossible to maintain a conversation.
