Eat right, exercise, and get your 10,000 daily steps in - this is said to be the perfect recipe for staying in shape and keeping your heart healthy.

With the rise of smart watches, many people have become borderline obsessed with closing their rings and reaching their step goal. I know because I'm one of them. If I see my exercise ring is only halfway closed or I'm short 1,000 steps before bed, you better believe I'll be up and moving until I hit my goals.

There's clear evidence supporting staying active is good for your heart, but new studies are showing how your step count and a little bit of math can help you keep track of your own health. That doesn't mean you should cancel all your doctors appointments, but it does mean you might be able to monitor your heart health on a daily basis.

Why 10,000 Steps?

For years, 10,000 steps has been the standard goal to hit. But why? Rest assured it's not just a random number someone picked out of a hat.

This standard actually goes all the way back to 1965, with a Japanese marketing campaign that was promoting buying a pedometer called "Manpokei", which translates to "10,000 steps meter" in Japanese.

Then in 2001, the "Every Step Counts" program was created to encourage people to start walking and hit a 10,000 steps a day goal.

If you're starting to think walking 10,000 steps is just propaganda, there's research to back the health benefits of hitting this daily goal. One study showed that hitting 10,000 steps per day can help improve post-exercise heart rate, cholesterol levels, walking speed, flexibility, and overall function.

While 10,000 steps is standard, it's not a hard and fast rule for everyone. Age plays a role in how many daily steps is enough - for example studies suggest that between 8,000-10,000 steps can be sufficient for those up to 60 years old, and for those over 60, 6,000-8,000 can be enough.

Whether you're taking 1,000 steps or 10,000 steps a day, new findings show that this number and your average daily heart rate could give you some insight into your heart health.

The Calculation To Reveal Heart Health

Who would have thought a little math could help you understand what's going on inside your chest? According to new findings, it might be as easy as dividing two numbers: your daily step count and your average daily heart rate. This calculation is referred to as Daily Heart Rate Per Step (DHRPS).

Here's how it works: Take your average number of daily steps and divide it by your average resting heart rate. That number could be a general indicator of how efficiently your heart is functioning. A higher number suggests your heart is handling physical activity well, but a lower number could be a red flag that something is off, especially if you're regularly active.

DHRPS has been associated with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, heart failure, and coronary atherosclerosis.

Let's break it down.

If you average 8,000 steps per day, and your resting heart rate is 60 bpm, divide 8,000 by 60. In this case you get 133.

According to the researchers, values between 100-150+ are typically considered a positive sign of cardiovascular fitness. However, if your number falls lower than that, it may be worth checking with your doctor, especially if you're experiencing symptoms like fatigue, chest pain or discomfort, or shortness of breath.

While this simple math calculation is not a replacement for your doctor, it's a convenient way for you to check in with your heart health everyday.