It may surprise you to know that you can have a heart attack at almost any age. Many of us mistakenly believe that only those who are past the age of retirement are stricken with this problem. That’s not the case at all. People in their 30s and even 20s can have a heart attack if they have a family history and they don’t take care of themselves. There are things you can do to reduce your risk. A healthy diet low in fat is crucial as is regular cardio exercise.

Getting and staying active can be a struggle for many people. This is particularly true of people who work day in and day out for eight or ten hours a day. By the time the weekend rolls around, all they want to do is sit inside and rest. Cardio exercise doesn’t have to be a chore, in fact there are many forms of cardio exercise that are incredibly fun and easy to fit into the busiest of lives.

Swimming is one such example. Getting in the warm water and swimming a few lengths of the pool is fantastic cardio exercise. Many local pools actually open early in the morning for folks who want to get their exercise in before their workday. All you need to do is get up an hour early, head to the pool, swim your laps and take a shower. It’s an easy and effective form of cardio exercise.

Walking is something all of us can do. If you have a regular lunch hour at your job, consider using part of that to take a fifteen minute walk. Walking is one of the best forms of cardio exercise. It helps get your heart rate up and it can also help you lose some weight. There’s no need to power walk or jog, a brisk pace will give you great results.

If it’s winter and you really don’t want to venture out of the heat of your home to get in shape, consider a jump rope. This is another cardio exercise that almost everyone can do and it’s fun. Jump ropes can be found at virtually every sport store as well as most toy stores. Don’t skimp and purchase one of those plastic jump ropes that toddlers use as they tend to easily break and bend out of shape. Instead invest in a good quality jump rope and start your cardio exercise program.

The key to success with this is to find something you like doing. One common mistake that people make when they decide to get heart healthy is they choose an activity that they really don’t enjoy. Cardio exercise comes in so many different forms that there’s bound to be something that you will want to do for a few minutes each day. With just fifteen minutes a day set aside for cardio exercise, you can greatly impact your risk of having a heart attack. It’s easy to see how worth it that is.