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Brisk Walks Slash Heart Failure Risk, Cardiologist Urges
28 Aug
Summary
- Brisk daily walks can greatly reduce heart failure risk
- Cardiologist warns "second heart" in calves is crucial for circulation
- Sitting for hours and losing muscle increases heart disease odds

As of August 28th, 2025, a leading cardiologist is urging people to incorporate more daily movement into their routines to significantly reduce the risk of developing heart failure. Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, based in the United States, has warned that a sedentary lifestyle is "killing" the "second heart" in our calves, which plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy circulation and preventing dangerous blood clots.
In a viral Instagram video, Dr. Yaranov explained that every step and muscle contraction in the calves helps push blood back to the heart, keeping the circulatory system active. However, with modern lifestyles involving prolonged sitting and reduced physical activity, this "second heart" is failing, forcing the primary heart to work harder. This can lead to slowed circulation, swelling, high blood pressure, and an increased risk of heart failure.
To combat this issue, the cardiologist strongly recommends that people make an effort to move around more throughout the day, even if just for a few minutes at a time. He suggests activities like taking the stairs, doing heel raises at a desk, and going for a brisk daily walk, which studies have shown can significantly lower the risk of heart disease, cancer, and premature death.