With National Heart Health month here, super foods like salmon and olive oil usually get top billing. But don’t forget that physical activity plays a vital role in heart health at every age. Here’s a rundown on what daily exercise can do for your heart along with tips on how to fit fitness into your life:

• Regular exercise helps lower levels of unhealthy cholesterol as well as control high blood pressure. 
• Routine exercise also assists in stabilizing blood sugar levels helping to lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
• Studies show that daily physical activity such as jogging and biking around town help combat stress by lowering levels of hormones and other markers that indicate both mental and physical stress.
• Exercise helps boosts our feeling of well-being and confidence, which along with stress reduction, helps lower heart disease risk.

Aim for 30 to 60 minutes of moderate exercise daily such as jogging, gardening, heavy housework, brisk walking and bike riding. You can reach your daily activity goal with “exercise bouts” of 10 minutes or more, spread out during the day. For example, a 10-minute brisk walk at work and a 20-minute bike ride in the afternoon combine to achieve your daily goal. Also, limiting “screen” time (TV, computer use, video games) to less than 2 hours at a sitting will help you get up and get moving!