Make walking a habit and reduce Hypertension

Walking Can Help You Lower Your Blood Pressure And Strengthen Your Heart

Walking has all sorts of health benefits among them the ability to help lower your blood pressure and strengthen your heart. Many people at risk for stroke and heart disease are overweight, unhealthy and have a hard time exercising. Thankfully walking is an easy, low-impact workout that almost anyone can do.

Start where you’re at. Just put on your shoes and head out there. If all you can do is walk for five to ten minutes, start there. It’s a great start and that’s a lot more exercise than you’ve been getting. Stick with it for a week and then see if you can make it for 15 minutes.

If you can go for 30 minute walk, start there. Pick up the pace, walk briskly and after a week or two, try to go for 45 minute walks. Or break up your walking workout into 3 shorter sessions interspersed throughout your day.

If you have any health conditions and in particular, if you’re suffering from high blood pressure and are at risk for heart disease, discuss your walking plans with your doctor. The two of you can come up with a plan that’s appropriate and safe for you.

Getting out and walking will help you on several different levels. The act of walking itself, particularly if you can go for a walk out in a pretty park is very relaxing and will lower your blood pressure soon after the walk. That’s a terrific benefit of walking and something that will help you feel better right away. But the benefits don’t stop there.

In addition regular exercise will strengthen your heart. Your heart is a muscle and going for a brisk walk works out more than your leg muscles. As you work out your heart, it gets stronger and better at pumping blood through your body. And as you strengthen your muscles and your body overall, you are likely losing body fat. That’s good news for your blood pressure long term. All it takes is heading out there for a short little walk each day. As you get stronger those walks will get longer and you may even go swimming or riding your bike a try. I love to swim it's my favorite way to exercise during the summer.

A healthy diet, regular exercise, and losing weight are some of the most effective ways to reduce hypertension regularly. I have hypertension and can attest that my blood pressure has significantly reduced once I started getting active.  Add to that the fact that walking helps you destress and it’s no wonder that walking regularly has such beneficial effects on your health. Ready to get started? Grab you iPod, put on your shoes, and go for that first walk.  Most important enjoy! If you enjoy your workout, you won't try to avoid it.

Where is your favorite place to walk? Let me know in the comments below.

Let's blab -- I have tips to help you walk more!

How To Get In The Habit Of Walking More

I wear a Fitbit and I strive to make my daily goal but since I have a desk job it's a struggle on most days. I found these tips helpful and thought you would too.

Did you know we were designed to walk for miles and miles to hunt and gather our food? Yet, in modern society, we spend most of our time sitting down. That is not good for our bodies leading to a host of health problems. This is probably one of the most important reasons to make an effort to move around and go for a walk each day. Of course, that’s easier said than done. Most of us sit for our work as much as I try, I barely leave my desk I' m so busy some days. The after work there's homework, supper, baths and what ever else comes up that day. I really want to binge watch my favorite show until bed time. So I HAVE to exercise before I start supper or homework, once I'm on that couch I'm not moving.  A lot of girls who work at the office walk for lunch.

In other words, getting and staying in the habit of going for a walk each day can be a bit of a challenge. But that’s exactly what we need to do. We need to get in the habit of going for that walk just like we’re in the habit of brushing our teeth twice a day or taking out the trash on Tuesdays. Once it’s a well ingrained habit, it won’t be as much of a challenge to make sure we go for a walk each day.

• A great place to start is to find a walking route you enjoy. It helps to make it as easy as possible. Your favorite walk may offer beautiful vistas, but if it’s a 30 minute drive there and back, you’ll be less likely to do it every single day. Instead, save that walk for the weekends and come up with something convenient and pleasant for your everyday walking routine. If you can, find a route in your own neighborhood so you can leave right from your front door. Just lace up your shoes and start walking. I'll admit my neighborhood is not the most scenic route but I have to walk around the block or I'd never leave. 
• Taking the same route every day helps form that habit. It’s also encouraging to notice that you can walk the same loop faster or with less effort over time. It proves that you're making a difference and are getting stronger and increasingly fitter.
• Listening to your favorite music, podcast or audio books is also helpful. It will make the time go by faster and give you something else to look forward to. You can even use your favorite media as a way to bribe yourself to go for your daily walk. Let’s say you have a couple of podcasts you enjoy. Save them for your walks and only let yourself listen to them while you’re walking. It’s a great incentive to get out there even on days when you’re not feeling it. -- this was great for me at the gym. I would watch Entourage and actually look forward to going. That was the only place I could catch up on my episodes! 
• Last but not least consider walking with other people. Find a walking group in your area, or talk a friend or neighbor into becoming your walking buddy. Not only is it more fun to walk when you have someone to talk to, it also has some built in accountability. It’s much easier to skip a walking workout when you know that other people are waiting for you and relying on you to join them. So as much as I think this is a great tip, it has never worked out for me. My husband constantly flakes on me. But it worked well for my sister she would meet her coworkers for months to walk. 

Give these tips a try and see if they help you make walking a daily habit and an integral part of your health, your fitness, and your life.

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