The #1 Activity to Support Your Heart Health, According to a Cardiologist

Focusing on heart-healthy foods that are low in saturated fat and sodium is an essential part of improving your cardiovascular health. But physical exercise is just as important.

Exercise alone can help better your heart health—even just 5 minutes a day— but if you’re unsure what type of exercise to start with, it can be more simple than you may think. We asked cardiologist David Sabgir, M.D. the loaded question: What’s the top activity or form of physical exercise that he recommends for heart health? Here’s what he has to say.

The #1 Activity to Support Your Heart Health

The founder of Walk with a Doc gave an answer that shouldn’t surprise you—but we fully endorse it.

“I’m always encouraging my patients to introduce more movement into their sedentary lifestyles, and one of the easiest and best ways is to start with walking,” Sabgir tells EatingWell. “Walking is low impact, safe and free—meaning more people can walk to see both its physical and mental health benefits.” 

Walking is a very effective way to boost your heart health and one of the simplest forms of exercise. “As a form of cardiovascular exercise, walking ultimately can improve one’s heart health by lowering the risk of heart disease and stroke, regulating blood pressure and cholesterol and strengthening muscles and bones,” Sabgir explains.

The science also backs this up: A study published in February 2023 by the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that walking for just 11 minutes a day can help reduce your risk of heart disease, several types of cancers and premature death.

If you’re unsure how to incorporate walks into your lifestyle, we got you covered. There are plenty of walking plans for you to choose from, like this 7-Day Walking Plan to Lower Blood Pressure or this Walking Plan to Help Lower Your Cholesterol Levels.

The Bottom Line

Both what you eat and how you move your body are important elements for improving your heart health—Sabgir calls it a “wellness puzzle.” Alongside a healthy eating pattern, including a walk in your regular routine is an easy way to add exercise into your daily life. 

“Everything is connected,” Sabgir explains, noting that exercise, nutrition, sleep and even social connection are all “interconnected factors” for your overall health. “Making sure you're taking small, manageable steps to create sustainable healthy habits can lead to more positive health outcomes.