The Simple Solution to Managing High Blood Pressure

We all know high blood pressure is dangerous and can increase your risk of heart disease and stroke. However, complications like the flu and the 2020 pandemic can complicate hypertension and pose an even greater threat to your health. In fact, there is a very simple way to diminish your risk and reduce hypertension.

The Simple Solution to High Blood Pressure

You may already be practicing some of the good habits that are necessary to fight the potentially deadly condition of high blood pressure. These practices include:

• Eating a vitamin-rich diet
• Exercising 30-40 minutes a day
• Eating lean proteins

However, now research demonstrates that there is a simpler way to reduce your risk of hypertension that doesn’t require extra time on the treadmill or a strict diet. In fact, it is as simple as sitting or standing. 

Simply stretching for 30 minutes a day has proven to be more beneficial than walking for lowering your blood pressure. The study tracked the blood pressure of two groups of individuals over 40 with high blood pressure. One group walked briskly for 30 minutes per day for at least 5 days a week. The other group did a regiment of 21 stretching exercises for the same amount of time. At the end of the 8-week study, stretching proved to have a greater reduction in blood pressure measurements than the brisk walkers. 

The main message here being that stretching is not only good for a warm-up but also for improving cardiovascular health. This is because when you stretch your muscles you also stretch the blood vessels in your stretched limbs. The stretching of these vessels reduces stiffness over time, which is one of the contributing factors to high blood pressure. Stretching increases blood flow and therefore reduces pressure.

Should you choose to add stretching to your cardio routine, you could easily add 10-15 minutes per day where you stretch large muscles. These large muscles include quadriceps, hamstrings, and calf muscles. Hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds, 2-3 times with 15 seconds of a rest period in between.

You are better off using stretches to enhance your routine than replacing your cardiovascular exercise completely. This is because using both will yield greater overall muscle health.

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