Just Keep Walking: Health Benefits of Cardiovascular Exercise

In my previous post, I evaluated the feasibility of using the Wii as a substitute for more traditional forms of exercise. Statistics from the scientific literature clearly indicate that playing authentic sports burns significantly more calories than playing Wii sports. Furthermore, research suggests that participation in actual sports offers more long-term health benefits such as cardiovascular endurance, which is preventative against diseases including diabetes and stroke. This week, I wish to address the issue of cardiovascular health by critically examining and commenting on two fitness-related blog posts: "Take the Stairs" by Women's Health magazine and "Cardio-Why You Should Trash the Treadmill" on That’s Fit.com. The first post effectively alerts readers about a simple way to improve their fitness without sacrificing too much time, which is an increasingly valuable commodity in today’s industrialized society. Although the author's claim about the health benefits of climbing stairs is unquestionably true, I questioned her choice of evidence and suggested additional references that could strengthen her claim. I also had the opportunity to comment on the significance of this post in relation to the rising prevalence of type II diabetes worldwide.In contrast to the first post, the second post contained a more opiniated discussion about the possibility of using weight training as a substitute for cardiovascular exercise. I was impressed with the level of interaction between the author of this blog (a professional fitness trainer) and visitors to the blog. My response to the post callenged some of the author's statements and addressed some of the comments posted by other bloggers. Given the accessibility of the World Wide Web, especially in industrialized countries, individuals who previously avoided exercise due to their dislike for cardiovascular activities can now learn about alternative exercise routines that they could consider. I commend both bloggers for sharing new ideas about how to maximize health benefits by making wise decisions about our lifestyles. Their advice is a valuable resource in today's world where more and more individuals are struggling with lack of exercising time and consequently becoming unfortunate victims of life-threatening and life-altering cardiovascular diseases. My responses to both posts can be found below and at the respective sites.

"Take the Stairs"
Comment

Your brief entry effectively conveys the multiple health benefits associated with taking the stairs. I am curious about your reference to the study in the European Heart Journal. Although the sample of sixty-nine hospital employees seems appropriate to the scope of this study, is it fair to generalize the results from this study to your blog readers who may work in an entirely different setting? In addiiton, I hope that you could consider posting a link to the article for those of us who wish to read it in more details. As an avid participant in fitness training with an educational background in the sciences, I hope to suggest additional sources that could provide your blog readers with a more comprehensive understanding of the health benefits of walking or taking the stairs.

My research on this topic resulted in the realization that climbing downstairs have different health benefits than climbing upstairs. Dr. Heinz Drexel of the Academic Teaching Hospital of Feldkirch, Austria, researched the effects of uphill and downhill hiking on forty-five health individuals who normally exercised very little. For the study, the participants took three to five hour-long hikes each week. For two months they hiked uphill and rode the ski lift down. The next two months they took the lift up and hiked down. While uphill hiking increased the proportion of "good cholesterol" or HDL, downhill hiking removed blood sugars and improved glucose tolerance. Dr. Gerald Fletcher, a cardiologist at the Mayo Clinic, commented that downhill hiking may be a very suitable form of exercise for diabetics since it lowers blood sugar levels and demands less exertion than many other types of aerobic exercises. Moreover, downhill hiking helps reduce the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. These findings could readily be applied to real life settings such as offices with stairs; those who are incapable of climbing up the stairs could still benefit by taking the elevator up and then climbing down the stairs. Additional benefits associated with stair climbing includes a lower risk of mortality from cardiovascular disease, weight loss, higher bone density in post-menopausal women, and increased leg power (which may reduce the risk of injury from falls in the elderly population). However, climbing stairs also increases the risk of injury from falls and may not be suitable for all individuals. Therefore, you might consider ending your post with a precaution about possible health risks associated with climbing stairs. I commend you for reminding your readers about the benefits of climbing stairs and sincerely hope that the additional information provided above will further motivate your blog's visitors, especially diabetics, to live healthier lives.

"Cardio-Why You Should Trash the Treadmill"
Comment

Thank you for your thought-provoking post about the option of substituting cardio workouts with weight training. I support your choice to continue doing cardio workouts because I am skeptical about the generalizability of Nicholas’ results from exclusive weight training. Could females who weigh as much as Nicholas burn the same amount of calories by following his weight training routine? Does this method yield favorable results for everyone? You cited the statistic that “For every pound of lean muscle mass your body has, your calories burned per day increases by about 50.” According to my research, women typically burn less calories than men when performing equivalent exercise since men tend to have more muscle mass. Furthermore, people who weigh more can burn calories at a higher rate than those who weigh less. For instance, if a person weighing 200 pounds swims freestyle at moderate speed for 30 minutes, he or she will burn about 330 calories. Whereas, if a person weighing 140 pounds does the same exercise, he or she will burn only about 230 calories. Thus, it seems dangerous to presume that everyone can achieve Nick’s results by exclusive weight training. In addition, I think it is wise to remind your female blog readers that weight training will result in additional gain of lean muscle, which may balance out the weight loss from additional calorie burned as a result of weight training.
I also appreciate your reasoning for not “ditching [your] cardio workouts." The mental benefits of cardio are often overlooked as we concentrate on finding the fastest way to lose weight. Aerobic exercise produces endorphins, which are brain chemicals that essentially make us “happier” and help us cope with stressful situations and pain. Moreover, aerobic exercise increases blood flow to the rest of the body, thus increasing mental acuity, cognitive ability, and stamina. In addition, several comments to your post alluded to the cardiovascular benefits that are more strongly associated with cardio than weight training. Continuous cardio for an extended period of time is more conducive to strengthening the heart muscle. Lastly, cardio seems more conducive to weight loss, which is a potent motivator for individuals to exercise regularly. Apart from aesthetic reasons, moderate weight loss is also beneficial because it decreases the risks of heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, and some forms of cancer. Since both types of exercise appeal to me for different reasons, I agree with the comments to your post that pose a simple solution to this dilemma by asking the question “Why can’t we simply do both?”