Managing and Preventing Hypertension
| Health tips: Movement is medicine | | | Dear Reader,
Physical activity, along with healthy eating, is vital for reducing and controlling blood pressure. The more you move about during the day, the less you sit, and the more calories you burn through the activities of daily life, the more health benefits you’ll gain.
Benefits of regular activity Regular physical activity can lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure by about the same amount as many blood pressure medications. It makes the heart stronger and more efficient. With greater strength, the heart can pump more blood with less effort. And the better the heart can pump blood, the less force is exerted on the arteries. It can prevent high blood pressure from ever developing. It also reduces the risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, diabetes, osteoporosis and 13 different types of cancer. It improves energy, boosts mood, improves sleep and helps with stress and anxiety. It can help with weight loss. When you gain weight, blood pressure often increases. And when you lose weight, blood pressure often goes down. Activity vs. intensity For most healthy adults, the Department of Health and Human Services recommends these exercise guidelines: If you’ve been inactive, start with five- or 10-minute periods of activity at a time and build up gradually in one-minute increments. At first, try to exercise three times a week. Get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes a week of vigorous aerobic activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity. The guidelines suggest spreading this exercise over the course of the week. Do strength training exercises at least twice a week. Focus on the major muscle groups in your arms, legs and core. Stay active throughout the day with activities such as mowing the lawn, gardening, washing the car, cleaning the house and climbing stairs. The cumulative effect of physical activity throughout the day matters, and it can equal a single workout session at the gym. Movement is medicine, and any amount helps. A key element to receiving these benefits, however, is that you exercise regularly. You don't need to push yourself to the limits of your endurance — it’s enough that you remain committed and make every effort to be physically active on a daily basis. |
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