Hypertension or high blood pressure, is known as the "silent killer" and has become a growing concern in the United States. Daily exercise along with a healthy, low-salt diet can have a tremendous impact on lowering high blood pressure.The American College of Sports Medicine, or ACSM, recommends 30 minutes of exercise, preferably on most days of the week, for individuals to lower blood pressure.
Significance
Blood pressure measures the force exerted by blood as it travels through the arteries in the body. While providing valuable insight into the activity of the heart, blood pressure results are given in a pair of numbers, expressed as a ratio. The top number is the systolic pressure, which measures the pressure when the heart is ejecting blood; the lower number measures the pressure when the heart is at rest, known as diastolic pressure.
Effects of Exercise
Scott Powers, professor of physiology at the University of Florida, states that blood pressure can be affected by increases in blood viscosity, heart rate and peripheral resistance. A study published in 2005 by the "Journal of the American Heart Association," showed hypertensive adults who participated in aerobic endurance training had decreased blood pressure by reducing vascular resistance. Blood vessels begin to dilate which enables more blood to flow, allowing the heart to pump less, thus lowering blood pressure.
Prevention/Solution
Finding the time to exercise can be difficult for some people. The ACSM recommends 30 minutes of moderate intensity activity 5 days a week or high intensity activity 20 minutes, three times a week. The 30 minutes can even be broken down to three different bouts of exercise lasting 10 minutes or more such as biking, running, climbing up steps, dancing, basketball or washing and waxing the car.
Benefits of DASH
Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or the DASH diet is a diverse meal plan low in sodium and high in key nutrients such as potassium, calcium and magnesium that are associated with lowering blood pressure. According to an article in the "New England Journal of Medicine," individuals who followed the DASH diet had a significant drop in systolic blood pressure, with a 7.1 mm Hg drop in participants without hypertension and a 11.5 mm Hg drop with hypertension.
Considerations
Fat stored around the belly can potentially raise blood pressure. Since it adds to the peripheral resistance in the body, it forces the heart to work harder. The heart must pump blood across an extra 5,000 miles of blood vessels in people who are 25 lbs overweight. Maintaining healthy eating habits can give you some control of your blood pressure, while losing excess weight can produce the greatest effect in long-term regulation of high blood pressure.
References
- Journal of the American Heart Association: Hypertension
- US Dept of Health: Your Guide to Lower Blood Pressure
- "Exercise Physiology"; Scott Powers, Edward Howley; 2009
- Icon Performance: Fitness Facts
- The New England Journal of Medicine: Effects of Reduced Sodium Dash Diet
- American College of Sports Medicine: Exercise Recommendations
