Place your hand in the middle of your chest. Sit very still and be quiet. Can you feel that? The steady yet tireless beat of your heart. From the moment you are born until your last moment here on earth, your heart will work continuously without ever pausing to rest.

On average, it will beat more than two-and-a-half billion times over the course of your life. It is an important and intricate piece of the human puzzle, yet often ignored, neglected and taken for granted. Perhaps it is time to take notice of this vital part of your machinery and learn how to keep it in optimal working condition.

One not to be ignored

You may not care about increasing your strength. "Firm, sexy abs" may be the last thing on your mind. Fine. But even if you don't know your biceps from your bicuspids, there's one muscle you should never ignore — your heart.

Other muscles just get small and flabby when they aren't used. Your heart, on the other hand, might stop working. Exercise is also important if you have a chronic illness, such as diabetes, that's often accompanied by heart trouble.

With heart-health month just past, I was encouraged by the fact that Pfizer South Africa, is promoting a healthy lifestyle to help people look after their heart health.

Solly Mabotha from Pfizer South Africa, says that the first step to protect your heart and keep it functioning optimally is to visit your doctor and have your blood pressure and cholesterol measured. I support this message from Pfizer, because to be proactive about looking after the health of your heart, you cant just jump into exercise without getting your doctor to give you the A-Ok.

A muscle like any other

Once your doctor gives you the go-ahead to start exercising, you must start exercising with the correct supervision of a trainer (if you are a beginner). Your heart must be challenged on a regular basis.

It is a muscle and, like any other muscle in the body, the more it is used, the stronger it becomes. And, also like other muscles, a stronger heart will also be more efficient at doing its job. Cardiovascular exercise or aerobic exercise (this does not mean aerobic classes only) is the best type of movement to ensure you keep your heart healthy and strong.

This type of activity is rhythmic, repetitive, uses large muscle groups such as those in your legs, and challenges the circulatory system by increasing blood flow to the muscles. Some examples include walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dancing, stair-climbing, hiking and inline skating.

A quick anatomy lesson

When your body is asked to move for an extended period of time, your muscles require large amounts of oxygen to keep them moving. Your blood carries the oxygen, brought in by your lungs, to the moving muscles.

Your heart is the 'motor' behind this system. As the demand for oxygen increases, it beats faster to circulate blood more quickly. When you frequently challenge your heart in this way, you increase cardiovascular fitness and build a stronger, more efficient heart.

Keep things well rounded

Cardiovascular exercise is a very important form of movement to promote heart health, but it shouldn't be your only form of exercise. A healthy heart is ideal, but what good is it if the rest of the 'machine' isn't in optimal working order.

To keep things well rounded, your fitness strategy should also include strength-building exercises and movements that promote flexibility. When your muscles are strong, you are able to push, pull and carry with greater ease. You are also less likely to become overtired or injured when performing tasks of daily living such as getting out of a car, rising from the floor or reaching under furniture for a lost treasure.

The big picture

Exercise, particularly cardiovascular exercise, plays an important role in the prevention, as well as the rehabilitation, of many forms of heart disease. Many of the risk factors for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, obesity and high cholesterol, can be battled or even wiped out by regular physical activity. It is important to note that there is a collage of factors intertwined in maintaining heart health and these include:

  • 1. Eat a heart-healthy diet

    • Consistently eating a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Legumes, low-fat sources of protein and certain types of fish also can reduce your risk of heart disease.

    Limiting your intake of certain fats also is important. Of the types of fat — saturated, polyunsaturated, monounsaturated and transfat — saturated fat and transfat increase the risk of coronary artery disease by raising blood cholesterol levels.

    Major sources of saturated fat include beef, butter, cheese, milk, and coconut and palm oils. Sources of transfat include deep-fried fast foods, bakery products, packaged snack foods, margarines and crackers.

    Heart-healthy eating isn't all about cutting back, though. Most people, for instance, need to add more fruits and vegetables to their diet — with a goal of five to 10 servings a day.

  • 2. Stop Smoking
    Smoking increases your chance of developing cardiovascular disease by 300 percent. Cigarette smoking also contributes to high blood pressure and raised cholesterol levels.

    Even as a non-smoker you are still not in the clear. Exposure to second-hand smoke can also increase your chances of developing heart disease and lung cancer.

  • 3. Destress

    • Stress causes the entire body to be tight, including the walls of the arteries, which constrict, increasing blood pressure. Deep breathing exercises are a good way to consciously relax (so give yoga or pilates or any other relaxations exercise a try).

    Prevention pays

    Heart disease is often avoidable. Following a heart-healthy lifestyle doesn't have to be complicated, and it doesn't mean you need to live a life of self-deprivation. Instead, find ways to incorporate heart-healthy habits into your lifestyle — and you may well enjoy a healthier life for years to come.