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	Exercise and Hypertension It seems like many Americans are living a life that leads to high blood pressure or hypertension. As people age, the situation gets worse. Nearly half of all older Americans have hypertension. This disease makes people five times more prone to strokes, three times more likely to have a heart attack, and two to three times more likely to experience heart failure. The problem with this disease is that nearly one third of the folks who have hypertension do not know it because they never feel any direct pain. But over time the force of that pressure damages the inside surface of their blood vessels. However, according to experts, hypertension is not predestined. Reducing salt intake, adopting a desirable dietary pattern losing weight, and exercising can all help prevent hypertension. Obviously, quitting bad habits and eating a low fat diet will help, but the most significant thing that you can do is to exercise. Exercise strengthens and improves limb muscles, and it also enhances the health of the heart muscles. Exercise stimulates the development of new connections between the impaired and the nearly normal blood vessels, so people who exercise have a better blood supply to all the muscle tissue of the heart. The human heart will supply blood to an area of the heart damaged in a “myocardial infarction.” A heart attack is a condition, in which, the myocardium or the heart muscle does not get enough oxygen and other nutrients and so it begins to die. Some researchers have observed that exercise can stimulate the development of these life-saving detours in the heart. One study further showed that moderate exercise several times a week is more effective in building up these auxiliary pathways than extremely vigorous exercise done twice as often. Such information has led some people to think of exercise as a cure-all for heart disorders, which makes it a fail-safe protection against hypertension or death. This is not true. Even marathon runners have suffered from hypertension. Also, exercise cannot overcome a combination of other risk factors. What Causes Hypertension? There is also a study where the researchers identified contributing factors such as heredity, obesity, and lack of physical activity. So, what can be done to lower blood pressure and avoid the risk of developing hypertension? Exercise. So, here is how to use an exercise program to prevent hypertension: 1. See your doctor See your doctor before beginning an exercise program. 2. Take it slow Start at a low, comfortable level of exertion and progress gradually. 3. Know your limit Determine your safety limit for exertion. Use clues such as sleep problems or fatigue the day after a workout to see if you are overdoing it. Stay within your limits. For the elderly, exercising at 40% to 60% of capacity gives best results. 4. Exercise regularly Exercise 3 to 5 times per week for best results. Maintain this frequency even after your condition improves. Exercise is a great way to fight hypertension, and it will give many other benefits too. Other articles

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