InnerSelf.com

Exercising Just Three Days
Can Help Protect Your Heart

According to a recent study by University of Florida researchers, as few as three days of exercise each week can help protect the heart against injury from a heart attack.

Endurance exercises—such as walking, jogging or cycling for 30 minutes—generate a protein in the heart called Heat Shock Protein 72. During a heart attack, scientists believe, HSP72 can stabilize and refold damaged proteins, which is vital to preserving the heart if blood circulation is cut off.

In rats tested at UF, as few as five days of exercise produced almost the maximum amount of HSP72 that cells can hold.

"It raises the possibility that this could be true of humans, too, and we think that this is very exciting," said Scott Powers, a professor in UF's department of exercise and sport sciences.

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Reprinted from the University of Florida Focus, University Of Florida Alumni Association, PO Box 14425, Gainesville, Florida 32604-2425. 

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