January 11, 2010
Monitoring Your Heart Rate
Now that you have calculated your ideal heart rate range, you need to know how to find your pulse. There are three methods of determining how many times per minute your heart is beating. Two of these methods can be done manually with the aid of a clock or stopwatch; the third utilizes a small machine. You can take your own pulse at two points on the body: at the wrist and on the neck. Finding the right spots takes a little practice, but after you have identified them and become familiar with them, they will prove to be fairly easy indicators of your heart rate. The point on the wrist is sometimes easier to find. Find the point at which your forearm meets the hand. Place your first and middle fingers in the middle of that area. (Never use your thumb, as it has its own pulse.) You will feel a tendon or even several tendons in your wrist. Move your fingers slowly to the inside portion of your wrist until you can find the pulse at its strongest point.
The other point at which you can accurately measure your pulse is in the neck, at the carotid artery. I actually find it easier to take the pulse here. To find this artery, locate the point where the front of your neck muscles meets your throat. Move your fingers slowly up the inside neck muscle until you find the point ar which the pulse is the strongest. With your finger on either of these two spots, refer to a clock with a second hand or to a stopwatch. Count the number of your heartbeats for fifteen seconds. Then multiply that number by four to determine your heart rate per minute. A third option is to use a heart monitor. There are a number of heart monitors on the market. I personally like using these devices, as opposed to taking my own pulse, because they are typically very accurate and easy to use. The one I use is part of my wristwatch. All I have to do is look at my wristwatch, and I can see my heart rate instantly.
Article Written By Michael Russell, author for http://www.ayurvedic-medicines.org. Find useful remedies and ayurvedic medicines for the treatment of different diseases and conditions from so many remedies available at our site. For querries, contact: nikhil@ayurvedic-medicines.org Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/monitoring-your-heart-rate-1699170.html
