A little exercise can keep angioplasty at bay

I’ve got some great news that can help you avoid angioplasty.

And all you need to do is move around a little more.

I wish I could have been at that meeting of the European Society of Cardiology I mentioned earlier, but I was busy doing my own research here in Montana. Still, I was able to read all about a fantastic presentation there on the power of exercise to help keep heart patients healthy.

One 2004 study followed heart patients who underwent angioplasty versus heart patients who were told to just exercise. After a year, 30 percent of the angioplasty patients had more heart problems, compared with just 10 percent of the exercisers.

The researchers at this presentation said the problem is getting doctors to focus on convincing patients that exercise is the right choice.

And that’s going to be a mighty big challenge.

Most doctors can’t tell their patients about this option – because in many cases, they don’t know about it themselves. They’re taught that nearly every disease or condition requires a drug or a procedure, especially when it comes to heart health.

But in reality, the only thing angioplasty can do is clear up a single blocked blood vessel. The underlying problems remain, including the potential for other blockages.

Exercise, on the other hand, helps to restore the whole body.

I know what you’re thinking: Won’t exercise stress my heart even more? I’m not talking about running a marathon or swimming across Whitefish Lake every day – just something enjoyable you can do to get the sweat glands working a little, like a brisk walk through your park, dance lessons or a some bicycling.

One study estimated that two and a half hours of brisk walking per week would lead to 280,000 fewer heart-related deaths every year. Surely you can find 20 minutes a day, or half an hour five days a week, to help save your own life.

But don’t stop there. Change your eating habits, too, and you’ll really help your heart.

These adjustments don’t have to be painful. Just as there are enjoyable activities that count as exercise, you’ll find plenty of great and satisfying food options if you stick with a healthy low-carb diet full of delicious and needed fats.

The alternative is an endless chain of prescription meds and medical procedures, and a higher risk of a shorter, sicker life.