Page 25 - Impression April 2020

Wellness

Monthly

April 2020
Keep the Pressure Down

Get Active in Reducing Blood Pressure!

Importance of Physical Activity • Examples of aerobic activities include
brisk walking, swimming, cycling,
Regular physical activity has many playing tennis and dancing.
health benefits, including maintaining
a healthy weight, developing a strong • Make it a goal to incorporate aerobic
heart and reducing stress. These activity into most days of the week.
benefits are also key to reducing blood
pressure and addressing or avoiding Strength Training:
other chronic health conditions. Set • Strength activities help reduce the
a goal of 150 minutes of moderately amount of fat in the body and increase
intense activity each week. the amount of muscle.
Get Started • Examples of strength activities
include working out with weight
• Consult your doctor before starting machines or dumbbells, or doing body
any physical activity. While regular weight exercises such as squats, lunges
exercise is helpful for almost everyone, and push-ups.
your doctor can help identify what
activities are best for you. • Make it a goal to do strength training
two days a week.
• Start slowly! And create an activity Stretching
plan to stay accountable and keep you
on track to reach your wellness goals. • Stretching does not have a direct
effect on heart health, but it can For more information
• Identify activities you enjoy. You are
more likely to be active if you are having reduce stress and thereby lower access the Healthy
fun and enjoying what you are doing. blood pressure. Also, stretching helps at Hopkins portal
Consider which aerobic, strength and strengthen muscles and bones, keeping
stretching activities you would like best. you free from joint pain and reducing through my.jhmi.
the risk of injuries over time.
Aerobic Activity: • Examples of stretching exercises edu and select the
• Aerobic activities are those that get include tai chi and yoga. Healthy at Hopkins
your heart rate up. They directly help • Make it a goal to stretch before and image.
lower blood pressure by improving after every type of activity.
blood flow and strengthening the heart.

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Sources: The American Heart Association, Johns Hopkins Medicine Health Library