Exercise daily – How might regular cardiorespiratory exercise affect hypertension? This is the question that might come to your mind. Let’s find out the answer in this post.
Hypertension is a condition that is very common throughout the world, mainly in the US. Regular cardiorespiratory exercise is very effective for controlling hypertension. These exercises include swimming, cycling, walking, etc.
Hypertension is a very serious disease that many people are suffering from. So let’s find out what to eat when you have hypertension and how regular cardiorespiratory exercise affects hypertension.
Hypertension:
Hypertension is also called the silent killer because sometimes you can’t see the symptoms of it. But you are suffering from it. You can control or manage hypertension through a balanced diet and exercise.
Normal systolic BP is 120mmHg and the diastolic BP is 80mmHg. The International Society of Hypertension Global Hypertension Guidelines, 2020 recommend that hypertension can be diagnosed when your systolic BP is ≥140 mmHg and your diastolic BP is ≥ 90 mmHg.
Normal BP Level: 120/80 mmHg
Borderline BP Level: 120-129/80 mmHg
High BP level (stage 1) : 130-139/80
High BP Level (stage 2): 140>/<90 mmHg
There are no serious symptoms of hypertension, so you can’t figure out you are suffering from hypertension. Common symptoms of hypertension are dizziness, headache, Lower heart rate, bleeding through the nose, anger, or turning face red.
How Can You Monitor Your Blood Pressure at Home?
The most common way to monitor your blood pressure is by visiting your doctor. But you can also do it at home using a device like Omron HEM-907.
Omron HEM-907, a wireless wrist blood pressure monitor, is FDA approved and easy to use. It has an automatic inflation system that monitors and adjusts the cuff size for optimal accuracy. It also has a large LCD screen that displays readings in digital and bar formats.
Let’s see some options for BP apparatus that are available in the market:
Omron M3 HEM-7155-E Blood Pressure Monitor with Easy Cuff 22-42cm
$71
Description:
It is a blood pressure meter that shows accurate and easy-to-understand readings. You can easily use this device at home to check your heart health.
Pros:
- It is very easy to use.
- Its reading is very accurate.
- It is very comfortable.
Cons:
The cuff is not tight enough.
MDF® Calibra Aneroid Premium Professional Sphygmomanometer
$49
Description:
It is an easy and fast device to measure blood pressure.
Pros:
- It is great to use in a medical setting.
- It is very accurate.
- It has an adult cuff that is very easy to use.
Cons:
It is not affordable.
Cardiorespiratory Exercise:
Whether your hypertension shows no symptoms, it can damage your organs, kidneys, heart, or liver. So we can control hypertension through our balanced diet and cardiorespiratory exercises.
Doctors used to restrict hypertension patients from doing even the simplest of exercises in the past. This can lead to hypertension, often caused by factors such as lack of exercise, diet, and age. Recently, doctors have prescribed cardiorespiratory exercises with medication and a balanced diet.
Best types of Cardiorespiratory Exercise:
We will tell you some best cardiorespiratory exercises you can easily try without consulting your doctors. Cardiorespiratory exercises increase your heart rate, help you control your BP, and keep you healthy and fit. The best cardiorespiratory workout is one that you can easily try at home without going to the gym.
These exercises are also called cardio, aerobic, or endurance exercises. They increase the amount of oxygen the body can use during exercise, which in turn helps with weight loss and maintaining a healthy heart.
Cardiorespiratory exercises include swimming, running, jogging, or playing basketball or soccer. If you are pre-hypertensive, you can try these exercises and control your BP level. Following are the cardiorespiratory exercises that you can try easily:
Running or Walking:
Running or Walking are both very effective for managing hypertension. Start with less time, like walking for 10mins and slowly or gradually increase the time. You can easily walk or run at home without specific exercise tools. So this one is best for hypertensive people.
Jumping Jacks:
Jumping Jacks are also very effective for your heart health. It makes your heart strong by increasing blood flow. You can do sets of jumping jacks as many as you are easy to perform. In jumping jacks, you have to jump by spreading your legs and arms upward.
Cycling:
Cycling is the best option if you want to try low-impact cardiorespiratory exercise. In cycling, your heart rate also increases, which can benefit your heart. It can lower your BP level.
Swimming:
Swimming is also the best exercise for controlling hypertension because, in swimming, your whole body is involved. Fast lap swimming may be intense for you so you can try water aerobics.
How Might Regular Cardiorespiratory Exercise Affect Hypertension?
The benefits of regular cardiorespiratory exercise for people with hypertension are well documented.
Regular physical activity has been shown to decrease blood pressure in people with hypertension and improve their quality of life. Physical activity can also help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke, two leading causes of death in hypertensives.
Now let’s take a look at the benefits of cardiorespiratory exercises:
Manage BP:
Cardiorespiratory exercises are very effective in lowering high BP. It increases the blood flow and your heart rate increases, and in this way, it lowers the BP.
Reduce body Weight:
The benefits of cardiorespiratory diseases of lowering weight are numerous and not limited to just the physical aspects. Obesity is the major risking factor for hypertension.
So, losing weight can reduce the risk of various medical conditions, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It can also help to improve mood and sleep quality.
Reduce Stress:
Stress is a major cause of chronic diseases. It affects the heart, lungs, and brain. Stress can also lead to other health problems, such as high blood pressure, obesity, and depression.
Reducing stress is important for your health and well-being. There are various ways to reduce stress levels, including physical activity like cardiorespiratory exercises. Through exercise, your brain releases happy hormones that reduce hypertension risk.
Fitness can be achieved only by following a balanced diet and physical activity.
Tips For Hypertensive Person:
Following are the important tips that you should follow when you have hypertension:
- Keep your weight in check according to height and age because obesity can increase your risk of hypertension.
- You should limit the use of salt. You should use only 1500mg or less salt per day.
- Don’t use canned fruits or vegetables because they have a high content of salt in it.
- Before buying any food, check its nutritional label first.
- Drink a lot of water daily.
- Daily exercise is very important for hypertensive patients.
- Stop eating oily fast food.
Dash Diet For Hypertension:
The DASH diet was first created by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to help lower the risk of hypertension. The diet is based on a study that looked at people with high blood pressure and their eating habits. The study found that following this diet can lower blood pressure by as much as 8 mmHg.
The DASH diet is made up of three main components:
1) A focus on vegetables, fruits, low-fat dairy products, whole grains, poultry, and fish;
2) Limiting sodium intake to 2,300 milligrams per day;
3) Limiting sugar intake to 10% of total calories per day.
Nutritionists recommend the Dash diet to hypertensive patients because it is the most effective diet for weight loss and lowering BP.
Foods that are allowed:
- Whole wheat
- bran bread
- brown rice
- Every kind of seasonal fruit and vegetables
- Seasonal fruits juice
- Meat without fat, chicken, fish, eggs
- Olive oil, canola oil
- Skimmed milk
- Almonds, walnuts
- Homemade soups without salt
- Tea, coffee
Foods that are not allowed:
Following are the foods that are not allowed in the Dash diet:
- Salted bread, biscuits
- Canned fruits and vegetables
- Artificial fruit flavor Juices
- Meat with fat
- Butter, Margarine
- Chocolate, whole milk
- Salted Dry fruits
Conclusion:
This article concludes that regular cardiorespiratory exercise is important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. It has been shown to reduce hypertension and can be a great way to combat the stresses of everyday life. This article answers the question, How Might Regular Cardiorespiratory Exercise Affect Hypertension?
If you are suffering from hypertension. You can start cardiorespiratory exercise today. If you have any questions regarding this topic, let me know in the comment section below.