“What the heart wants (is exercise)”

Prairie Doc Perspective for the Week of March 22nd, 2026
“What the heart wants (is exercise)”
By Kelly Evans Hullinger, MD FACP
Cardiovascular disease remains the most common cause of death in the US as well as a very common cause of chronic illness and disability. Heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes result in about 2500 deaths per day in the US, according to the American Heart Association®. While huge strides continue to be made in treatment of these events, including medications and procedural abilities, as always, prevention is the best medicine.
Many risk factors exist for cardiovascular disease; some, such as genetics or family history, are out of one’s control. However, there are many things we can do to reduce our risk, including quitting smoking and controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes. One behavior that applies to us all is to get enough exercise.
The American Heart Association® recommends getting at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week, preferably spread over several days in the week. Moderate exercise might include brisk walking, gardening, or leisurely biking. Vigorous exercise might include walking on an incline, jogging or running, or heavy yard work. Additionally, they recommend resistance or strength training be included twice per week.
Starting from sedentary? No problem, but don’t expect to go from zero to 150 minutes in the first week. Listen to your body; you can even start with walking or chair exercise for ten minutes per day. You will find that with consistency you will be able to build on that week to week. Most importantly, find a physical activity that you enjoy enough to keep doing. For many people, exercising with a family member or friend really helps.
We know that regular exercise can cut the risk of cardiovascular disease substantially; one large study showed a reduction in mortality by over 20%, with more exercise giving even greater protection. How exercise benefits the heart goes beyond its effect on obvious markers like weight; exercise improves blood flow in the vessels around the heart in a way that reduces future bad outcomes. As I tell my patients when we discuss exercise, its benefits are far greater than its effect on weight. Your heart will thank you for the exercise no matter what the scale says.
So let’s all get moving this week! Any exercise is better than none, and there is something out there for everyone. The heart wants what it wants, and that’s exercise.
Dr. Kelly Evans Hullinger practices internal medicine at Avera Medical Group in Brookings, SD. She serves as one of the Prairie Doc Volunteer Hosts during its 24th Season providing Health Education Based on Science, Built on Trust. Follow The Prairie Doc® at www.prairiedoc.org, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Tik Tok. Prairie Doc Programming includes On Call with the Prairie Doc®, a medical Q&A show (most Thursdays at 7pm on SDPB, YouTube and streaming on Facebook), 2 podcasts, and a Radio program (on SDPB, Sundays at 6am and 1pm).