Exercise and Lowering Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a dangerous condition that can cause people to develop heart disease, stroke, or another serious medical condition that might lead to death if not cared for properly. High blood pressure is typically prominent in elderly people but can be seen in younger people if they do not exercise regularly or eat a healthy diet on a regular basis. Causes of high blood pressure can include the following:
- Stress can cause hypertension by activating the sympathetic nervous system.
- Eating large amounts of sodium can cause excess water retention, expand blood volume and ultimately increase blood pressure.
- Caffeine acts as a cardiovascular stimulant and raises blood pressure.
- A diet low in calcium, magnesium and potassium can increase blood pressure.
- Insulin resistance can increase blood pressure by causing the kidneys to retain sodium.
- Regular alcohol intake can increase blood pressure.
- Being overweight increases blood pressure.
- Medications.
When a patient is diagnosed with high blood pressure the doctor they are seeking treatment from will recommend one or more of the following options to reduce their blood pressure:
- Limit your caffeine intake.
- Limit alcohol intake.
- Avoid processed foods.
- Maintain optimal weight.
- Relax.
- Don’t smoke.
- Exercise.
- Check your meds.
The risk of hypertension increases with age but it also increases with every pound that a person adds to their body weight. A lack of exercise or inactivity can lead to high blood pressure. So, one can figure out that exercising is one of the best ways to lower blood pressure. Experts recommend that if you are going to use exercise as a method of lowering your blood pressure you should start slow and take it easy while building strength. As the workouts get longer you can get more involved. You don’t need to join a gym or run a marathon. Instead, walk around the development every night for two months and then begin to run around the development.
Exercising makes your heart work harder to pump blood throughout the body. This makes the heart healthier and stronger, which makes it easier for the heart to pump blood with less effort. When the heart works less to pump blood the force on the arteries is less, helping to lower blood pressure. Most doctors and medical experts will tell patients with high blood pressure that it takes aerobic activity to lower blood pressure, not just lifting weights. Any physical activity will help to get a person’s breathing going and heart rate going too but aerobic exercises need to be performed to really get the heart pumping.
Prior to beginning an exercise regimen a patient with high blood pressure should consult their physician for the following reasons:
- You’re a man older than age 40 or a woman older than age 50
- You smoke
- You’re overweight or obese
- You have a chronic health condition, such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol
- You’ve had a heart attack
- You have a family history of heart-related problems before age 55
- You feel pain in your chest or become dizzy with exertion
- You’re unsure if you’re in good health
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