Exercise for Heart Health

I've heard different things about how much exercise you need for optimum health, but how much exercise do you really need to protect your heart? —James, Los Angeles

In the "Nurses Health Study" of 70,000 nurses looked at over a period of 8 years, the nurses who walked 3 hours a week cut their risk of cardiovascular disease by about 30-40%. People who exercised more than this did not get any kind of increased benefit or protection from strokes or heart attacks. So an activity as simple as walking for 30 minutes every day can have a major beneficial impact on one's heart health. —Sam