Vital Steps Wellness Program:
Blood Pressure
Blood is carried from the heart around your body in
vessels called arteries. Blood pressure is the force o the blood pushing against the walls
of these arteries. Each time the heart beats, it pumps out blood into the arteries. Your
blood pressure is at it's highest as the heart beats, pumping the blood around the body.
This is called Systolic pressure. When the heart is at rest, between beats, your blood
pressure falls. This is known as the Diastolic pressure.
How Does It Affect Me?
A reading over 140/90 or above is generally considered as
high. High blood pressure is referred to as Hypertension and is considered as a coronary
disease risk. Although it is rare for high blood pressure to cause an immediate risk, its
long term damage to the body is widespread and serious. The greatest risks are death due
to stroke or heart disease. High blood pressure may affect the following areas of the body
in particular:
- The Heart – In some people after a few years, the
main pumping chamber of the heart will enlarge and therefore weaken. Heart failure may
follow causing fatigue and breathlessness
- Stroke – around a third of all strokes are linked to
high blood pressure
- Kidneys – may be damaged by constantly raised blood
pressure. This may affect the process of the body getting rid of unwanted substances that
may lead to ill health and kidney failure
- The Eyes – Eyesight may be affected and may even be
permanently damaged
What Effect Will Exercise Have On It?
Blood pressure fluctuates during the day. It is at its
lowest when you sleep and rises when you get up. It can also rise when you get nervous,
excited, anxious or active. For most of the day, your blood pressure should be an
acceptable 120/80. With high blood pressure, the heart is forced to work harder, much like
the effort required to blow hard through a straw is higher than that needed to blow
through a larger tube.
Anything that lowers blood pressure in turn reduces the
workload of the heart. Studies have indicated that regular activity will contribute to the
lowering of blood pressure. In addition, regular activity helps to maintain the elasticity
of the blood vessels as one goes through the stages of the aging process.
Some people even have problems when the blood pressure is
too low. Symptoms such as dizziness or unbalanced feelings after working out could be a
sign of low blood sugar due to low blood pressure. As long as you are aware of the
potential small risks, coupled with an exercise program designed specifically for you by
Vita Steps you should not have any problems.
Regular physical activity teaches the body to effectively
distribute blood to the working muscles throughout the period of exercise encouraging
blood flow to where the body needs it. With regular activity increases the blood flow
throughout the body that enhances the performance of both the heart and skeletal system.
These changes serve to lower the heart rate and blood pressure during physical activity in
turn reducing the stress placed on the body.
Changes in blood pressure can also be the consequence of
weight loss or reduced stress, both of which are known outcomes of physical activity. |
