When hypertension is a fatal diagnosis
In a country plagued by high blood pressure, black people are more likely to suffer from it. A year-long project by The Associated Press found that from birth to death, black Americans are more likely to get sick and die from common illnesses. (May 23) (AP Video: Noreen Nasir)
AP
Exercise has a variety of health benefits, from strengthening muscles and bones to lowering cholesterol levels. Research shows that proper training can boost confidence, improve mental health, and even help manage chronic health conditions.
But perhaps the biggest benefit of regular exercise is that it’s good for your heart and can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. This is done in part by lowering blood pressure. “Regular exercise strengthens your heart and has many benefits, including improving blood pressure,” says Natalie Allen, M.D., clinical associate professor and team nutritionist for athletics at Missouri State University. .
What’s even better is that walking, a common form of exercise, may be your best tool for lowering blood pressure.
Does exercise lower your blood pressure?
In other words, exercise can lower blood pressure, especially in people who exercise frequently. “People who exercise regularly tend to have lower blood pressure than people who lead a sedentary lifestyle,” says Dr. Nutrition for student athletes. It’s important to note here that exercise does not necessarily lower blood pressure. meanwhile You’re working out because your blood pressure actually increases during exercise to provide your muscles with the extra oxygen and blood flow they need. However, once your heart rate returns to normal after your workout session, you’ll begin to see the benefits of prolonged exercise.
It is also important to continue exercising to prevent your blood pressure from rising again. High blood pressure, also known as high blood pressure, can cause arteries that supply blood and oxygen to the brain to burst or become blocked, leading to a stroke. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart attacks, heart failure, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, and chest pain are also potential risks associated with high blood pressure.
How does exercise affect blood pressure?
Exercise affects blood pressure in many ways. One way is that regular exercise allows the cardiorespiratory system to more efficiently deliver oxygen and nutrients to working muscles, which may help keep blood pressure levels normal, Jones said. explains. She added that the increased blood movement associated with exercise can also “pick up, metabolize, and remove fat, cholesterol, and other substances that narrow the spaces within your veins.” This removal, along with the subsequent reduction in inflammation from more regular exercise, means that there is “more space for blood flow, and therefore less pressure needed to move substances in the blood efficiently.” It means decreasing,” she says.
It’s “a process that trains your heart to pump with less effort,” says Lori Shemek, Ph.D., a Dallas-based certified nutritional consultant and author of “How to Combat Fat Burning.” Masu. She adds that exercise also releases nitric oxide from the body, which “opens the blood vessels wider, reduces the force on the arteries, and improves blood flow.”
Another benefit associated with working out is that you get exercise. cause We sweat to get rid of some of the sodium in our bodies, and “excess sodium can cause high blood pressure in some people,” Jones says.
And the benefits of exercise related to blood pressure are not nominal. “Research shows that regular aerobic exercise can effectively lower blood pressure by 5 to 8 mm Hg,” Allen says. (Blood pressure is measured in millimeters of mercury, or mm Hg.) For context, a normal blood pressure reading should be less than 120/80 mm Hg, and when blood pressure reaches 130-139/80-89 mm Hg. Hypertension begins. range. Therefore, a drop of 5 to 8 mm Hg can mean the difference between normal and elevated blood pressure.
Which exercise is best for lowering blood pressure?
The best part is that you don’t need to do strenuous exercise to get these benefits. “You don’t have to spend hours at the gym or run a marathon to lower your blood pressure,” says Shemek. She points to the study This shows that walking just 3,000 steps a day can effectively lower blood pressure. While other activities that get your heart rate up can help, Shemek explains that aerobic exercise isn’t the only way to lower your blood pressure. ”recent research “This suggests that exercises that strengthen muscles without extra movement, such as squats and planks, may be best for lowering blood pressure,” she says.
In addition to getting enough exercise, diet also plays an important role in preventing high blood pressure. A healthy diet is important for healthy weight management, and obesity can lead to obesity. twice the probability develop high blood pressure. Diets like the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute’s DASH diet can also make a big difference by providing important nutrients and avoiding foods associated with high blood pressure. DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The diet is rich in fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and limited in sodium. “This diet is well-studied, and research shows that nutrient composition is important in managing high blood pressure,” Allen says.
High blood pressure can be prevented through a healthy diet, regular exercise, and avoiding problem behaviors. “A sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, excessive stress, and poor sleep quality can all contribute to elevated blood pressure,” explains Shemek.
How to lower blood pressure: What to do to avoid heart problems