Blood Pressue
Exercise is prescribed as an important tool in controlling/ reducing high blood pressure. While all exercise is broadly good for us, studies find substantial variability in our individual response to most exercises to generate blood pressure reduction.What I respond to very well you may not respond to nearly as well and what you respond to well I may not respond to.
When your goal includes blood pressure reduction, how do you choose what exercises to include?.
Below are two exercises that have shown consistent effectiveness in reducing blood pressure in those with high blood prssure. incorporating them with your whatever exercise program you choose is likely to
Some thoughts when you are on prescription/ naturalpathic supplements (any chemical or protocol) that helps control blood pressure:
- Notify your prescriber what you are doing
- Monitor & Report Blood Pressure regularly
- As blood pressure adjusts due to exercise other interventions need to be adjusted to maintain target blood pressure levels.
- This generally means your prescriber needs to adjust medications/ supplements to keep blood pressure in desired ranges.
- The exercise must be continued to maintain the new blood pressure benefit. Regullar monitoring needs to continnue.
- Changing your exercise protocol requires close monitoring of blood pressure and coordinnation with prescriber on dosages.
- The numbers below come from summaries of many studies. Individual response will vary and those with only borderline blood pressure still need to monitor but may experience a more moderated effect.
- Low blood pressure can be dangerous so monitoring and reporting are very important..
Isometric Exercises - Handgrip
Normal
Systolic = < 90
Diastolic = < 60
Normal
Systolic = 90> <120
Diastolic = 60< >80
Elevated
Systolic = 120> <129
Diastolic = < 80
Stage 1
Systolic = 130 > <139
OR
Diastolic = 80 <>89
Stage 2
Systolic = 140<
OR
Diastolic = 90 <
* Derrived from 2015 Sprint trial
With Tools
Tool:
- Hand grip Dynanometer $20 - $50
- Stress Ball
Squeeze: 30% of maximum grip capacity
Action;
- Squeeze for 2 minutes.relax 4 min.
- Repeat 4 times each hand
- Total time is nearly an hour
- Use a timer
Frequency:
- 3 times a week
Study Results @ 6-8 weeks:
- Systolic 8-14 points
- Diastolic 6- 8 points
Instructions
Breathing
No Tools
Deep slow breathing with long exhale
- Free breathing
Action:
- Inhale for 2 seconnds,
- hold for 2 seconnds
- exhalle slowly for 6 seconds.
- Preferred to use metronome app
- do it for 5 minutes
Frequency: twice daily
I haven't seen
With Tools
Tool:
- Respiratory trainer - $30-$60
- Straw (freeish)
Action:
- inhale at 25 - 30% of max inhale
- 2 second inhale with respirator
- 2 second pause
- 6 second exhale (without respirator)
- do it for 5 minutes
Frequency:
- twice daily
Reported result at 6 to 8 weeks:
- Systolic BP drop of up to 20 points
- Diastolic BP drop of up to 10 points