COLUMBUS, Ga. (WTVM) – Does exercise help you live longer, or can you push yourself so hard that it causes heart problems? We talked about this and much more with the only specialist in the Chattahoochee Valley trained in both heart failure and pulmonary hypertension.

Dr. of Southeastern Cardiology in Columbus, GA. Hunter Champion touches more on the mind-body connection in our “Run The Race” podcast. Exercise, or lack thereof, affects your heart, which can lead to good or bad heart thickness, he says.

Dr. Champion talks about his experiments after seeing so many professional and college athletes get knocked down on the field or court lately, and whether you can push yourself too hard. There are red flags to look for in amateur athletes, so listen to your body, he advises.

There is technology that can help you track your health statistics, such as heart rate. The doctor also used this technology while working with professional athletes in Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

Dr. Champion is one of the men who coined the phrase “Broken Heart Syndrome” (sudden emotional stress of the mind affecting heart failure). He talks more about this in the podcast, he also talks about being mentally strong for athletic performance when you’re under pressure. This includes mindfulness, box breathing, meditation instead of panic to keep negative thoughts at bay.

On healthy aging, Dr. Champion tells people of all ages to put the excuses aside and figure out what you can do, even walking in the pool. It also provides warning signs and preventive tips for casual athletes. There is also a shortcut that includes Maalox.

According to this doctor, there are also benefits of exercise to your mood due to research on the power of prayer, and specifically the connections between faith and fitness.

You can listen to the entire episode here: or follow any of the 223 #RunTheRace podcast episodes at this link: www.wtvm.com/podcast/.

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