admin Siba Guzha
HELLO gentle readers, once again I delve into the issue of hypertension simply because of the interest the issue has raised since I last dwelt on it.
Across the world and locally many are diagnosed with hypertension and many die because of this disease. Regular exercise is said to be the drug-free solution to prevent this disease and to control it in those who have already been diagnosed with hypertension. Moderate physical activities performed for 30 to 40 minutes on most days of the week can potentially lower resting blood pressure rates and prevent hypertension.
Normal resting blood pressure is less than 120/80 mmHg. The first number, 120, represents the systolic pressure, or pressure against the artery walls when the heart contracts. The lower number, 80, is the diastolic pressure, or pressure against the artery walls between heart beats.
During exercise, the systolic pressure increases progressively as the cardiovascular system attempts to deliver more oxygen to the working muscles. The diastolic pressure (the lower number) should stay about the same, or decrease slightly, thanks to the dilated blood vessels in the working muscles that help heat escape
Your risk of high blood pressure (hypertension) increases with age, but getting some exercise can make a big difference. And if your blood pressure is already high, exercise can help you control it. Don’t think you’ve got to run a marathon. Instead, start slow and work more physical activity into your daily routine.
You ask how are high blood pressure and exercise connected? Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure. Becoming more active can lower your systolic blood pressure — the top number in a blood pressure reading — by an average of 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). That’s as good as some blood pressure medications. For some people, getting some exercise is enough to reduce the need for blood pressure medication.
If your blood pressure is at a desirable level — less than 120/80 mm Hg — exercise can keep it from rising as you age. Regular exercise also helps you maintain a healthy weight, another important way to control blood pressure. But to keep your blood pressure low, you need to keep exercising. It takes about one to three months for regular exercise to have an impact on your blood pressure. The benefits last only as long as you continue to exercise.
Medications have proven to be effective in lowering blood pressure and protecting against the risk of cardiovascular and kidney (renal) diseases. However, because of the side effects and cost of medications, it is better and healthier to undertake lifestyle modifications to help improve blood pressure as a first-line treatment. In numerous clinical studies, it has been well documented that aerobic exercise is a suitable treatment and can even play a role in the prevention of hypertension.
Flexibility and strengthening exercises such as lifting weights are an important part of an overall fitness plan, but it takes aerobic activity to control high blood pressure. And you don’t need to spend hours in the gym every day to benefit.
Simply adding moderate physical activities to your daily routine will help. Any physical activity that increases your heart and breathing rates is considered aerobic exercise.
Siba Guzha is a professional fitness trainer at Body Focus Gym Executive. Contact us on: Email: [email protected] or Cell: 0772 789 110 : 1st Floor Meikles Mutare.
Online Reporter