This is good news for many of us, especially when the biggest movement or exercise you do is get up off the couch after a television program. Even if you've been sedentary and are hovering around 40 can reduce the risk of heart attack from an exercise program to protect the health of the heart.

Get a greater benefit with a slight increase in physical activity, the activity will increase progressively as your body will ask, and positive end result will be worth it.

The bad news about the lack of exercise, are primarily for those who think they have been very active between 20 and 30 years old and have now reduced or suspended physical activity will have no increased risk. They are in a serious error, your risk of heart disease is similar to someone who has never practiced physical exercise at all.

A German study published in the journal Heart shows that people who were "very active" over the age of 40, had 90 percent less heart disease than sedentary people. Those who were "somewhat active" also reduced heart risks, but less so.

These were the unexpected results of a study comparing healthy people and people with heart disease to determine how exercise has impacted their cardiac risk.

People over 40 who have not practiced any exercise for some time, if ever, should schedule a heart protection plan with their doctors. Begin slowly, like walking or working at a slow speed on a treadmill and with increasing fitness, may become more intense exercises and adding strength training with hand weights.