exercises for high blood pressure?

reikochan24
reikochan24 Posts: 22 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Aloha, I just got told by my doctor that I have high blood pressure and need to go on meds. I don't want to go on meds, so I am trying to lose weight and exercise it off. Any suggestions for good exercises for high blood pressure?

mahalo

Replies

  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
    I don't know if there are any exercises specifically for lowering blood pressure; just keeping your activity level up will help. "They" say that even losing 10 pounds will help. And there's also been some research suggesting that just deep breathing a few times will actually help lower your blood pressure a few points in the very short term - like counteracting white-coat fever in your Dr's office.
  • masdec7
    masdec7 Posts: 166 Member
    I read an article that the best thing to do is just exercise, but that stairs are a great way to strengthen your heart which lets it work more efficiently. So, take the stairs whenever you can. I've started taking a "stairs" break at work. Gets me off my bottom (I work behind a desk all day) and strengthens my heart. Start slow and build up. Good luck with this.
  • Kmoeser1028
    Kmoeser1028 Posts: 6 Member
    I had the same experience 2 years ago. My BP was 150/100 and my cholesterol was thru the roof. I started by simple searches on the internet about it and the vast majority of what I found was cardio. Cardio for heart health. I began with 20 minutes on an Ellipitcal and worked my way up time wise. Within 3 months my BP was 109/63 and i had lost 50 points off my cholesterol. I have since graduated to running 3.5 miles on most days and when the weather is nasty I stay in and do my elliptical for 45 minutes. The added bonus is 61 pounds gone as well, no meds and i've maintained the low BP ever since. Additionally i got my diet under control. I have all but eliminated anything processed and watch what I eat. I have inclueded weight training here and there and like to incoorportate body weight exercises...push-ups, burpees, crunches, squats....those types of things. But for me, i can't stand it, but do it. I get far more enjoyment and satisfaction sweating thru my clothes, being out of breath and feeling my heart pound like crazy. Good luck!
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
    Pretty much anything that gets your heart rate up, here are a couple of articles you may find interesting.....

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00024

    http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/high-blood-pressure/HI00027

    http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/PreventionTreatmentofHighBloodPressure/Physical-Activity-and-Blood-Pressure_UCM_301882_Article.jsp

    http://www.runnersworld.com/health/how-type-of-exercise-affects-blood-pressure

    also ....check out the DASH diet (mostly low sodium) http://dashdiet.org/

    if your Dr has recommended medication it would be prudent to follow his or her instructions, high blood pressure has many causes and not all of them respond to exercise.

    Invest in a good quality blood pressure meter and check it regularly (do readings at different times of the day) to see how it's responding. If the numbers go in the right direction speak to your Dr about getting off the meds and take it from there
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Walk At Home DVDs......these are low impact aerobics workouts that you can tailor to your own needs. Do the moves slower & "smaller" when you are just starting out......as you become more fit do the moves faster & add more arms, higher knees, etc. You can customize because there is no choreography

    Try It! page..............
    http://www.walkathome.com/

    Video Clips & Reviews (Wal-Mart & Target sell some videos)
    http://www.collagevideo.com/exercise-videos/leslie-sansone-exercise-videos-10

    (Legal) youtube freebie by Jessica Smith

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4IH12Piuf4
  • themedalist
    themedalist Posts: 3,218 Member
    I've been a long term cardio exerciser and I believe it helped reduce my bp, which was borderline high. But two things in particular really helped reduce my bp: 1) reducing my sodium intake and boosting my intake of potassium rich foods and 2) Doing HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) cardio, not just steady state cardio.
  • BigGuy47
    BigGuy47 Posts: 1,768 Member
    I no longer take BP meds, I lost a bunch of weight and have a regular exercise routine (light cardio & resistance training).
  • persistandendure
    persistandendure Posts: 15
    The elliptical works well...I eat ghost peppers which helps bunches!
  • JohnDowding
    JohnDowding Posts: 46 Member
    Same experience here, I agree it doesn't seem to matter what kind of cardio you do, but to do it as close to every day as you, and I think earlier in the day is better. Seems to raise my 'resting pulse' the rest of the day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    Aloha, I just got told by my doctor that I have high blood pressure and need to go on meds. I don't want to go on meds, so I am trying to lose weight and exercise it off. Any suggestions for good exercises for high blood pressure?

    mahalo

    Any cardiovascular, aerobic exercise...take your pick...one is not any better than the other. Keep in mind that exercise and proper nutrition and losing weight can help and it does prevent the need for med for many people...but then there are others like myself for whom it is largely genetics...despite being highly active and having excellent nutrition and being at a healthy BF%, etc I still need my lisinopril and my beta blocker to keep things under control.

    I only say this because I was stupid and resisted the meds for a couple of years and wish I would have just taken them...it's really no big deal and I haven't had any negative side effects...the side effects of untreated HBP are far worse. If you ultimately have to take them, take them...it's not really a big deal.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/101/7/828.full
    http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/growingstronger/why/

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