Exercise and High Blood Pressure

Many people nowadays get nowhere near as much exercise as they should do, and unfortunately it can and often does have a disastrous effect on our health. The prospect of actually getting up and starting an exercise regime can seem daunting to some people and they often refused to see the value that regular exercise can have on reducing raised blood pressure.

For many people exercise can be a depressing thought especially at the end of a day which has been tiring and busy, and the very thought of actual exercise can be a daunting thought.

The fact is though, exercise plays a key part in reducing raised blood pressure (hypertension), and cardiovascular disease, and many people who have had problems with their blood pressure have discovered that commencing an exercise regime coupled with a sensible diet, is often enough to ensure the blood pressure is kept within normal limits with either a reduced amount of prescribed medication or none at all.

The problem with exercise is a person’s actual perception of it. Many people are of the opinion that to start exercising correctly, they should join a gym or start lifting weights. Nothing could be further from the truth!

Exercise doesn’t have to be strenuous, and indeed if very unfit, a person should never commence a strenuous health workout especially if they have accompanying health problems such as raised blood pressure.

The first thing to do when deciding to start an exercise regime is to consult your doctor to ensure he is happy for you to exercise. Once you have his permission, then it is time to start thinking about the type of exercise you should start taking.

If you want to join a gym, that’s excellent. But it is imperative that you are given an exercise plan to work to from a qualified fitness coach. You should never just start using the equipment by yourself as there is a real risk you can cause yourself some injury.

Another method of taking some exercise which lies much closer to home is to walk. Walking is an excellent method of exercise, and if you can manage to go for a brisk half hour walk at least three times a week, then you are making an excellent start. Owning a dog is an excellent excuse for going for long walks.

Other methods of increasing your exercise output are small but quite effective. These include such methods as getting off your bus a stop earlier (or missing the bus and walking).At work if you get into the habit of walking up the stairs instead of using the elevator, park your car further away from the office so you have to walk that bit further, or even better if not too far away, leave the car in the garage and walk to work.

You’ll soon find you start to feel healthier (and slimmer), and hopefully your blood pressure will soon drop to more normal limits.