I have high blood pressure, is it safe for me to exercise?

Question

im trying to loose wieght to help lower my bp but it kind of seems like a catch 22 to me seeing as how ppl are telling me that if I have high bp its not safe to exercise..whats the right answer?

Answer 1

As I am sure you are aware of, your diet is not only crucial for lowering your blood pressure but it is also key in keep a safe bp level for exercise. I.e. Don't eat too salty of food (or too fatty) before you plan on exercising. Just keep track of it as you exercise if you can. Maybe invest in a bp kit for home if you haven't already. Slow and steady is the key for you to remember. Even if you have to spread your activity out through the day, it is better than overdoing it and ultimately damaging your health and discouraging yourself. There are great benefits to be had from Yoga and basic Pilates. They are great for strength, balance, agility, and stress relief. When incorporated as part of a warm up or cool down you will see great improvements in your endurance and avility. Swimming can also be soothing while also a great workout. Just remember to keep moving throughout the day. Listen to your body. Work your way up to stronger workouts. Drink plenty of fluids that aren't sugared, carbonated, or caffinated. Listen to your doctor's advice. If you need to lose weight, even a 5-10 % weight loss can help a great deal. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds that meana a 10-20 lbs. You might even talk to your doc about the possibility of joining a Cardiac Rehab group to begin with. They will be able to monitor you better to help get you started. They can also give you the advice that will help you physically and emotionally. I wish you the best of luch and way to go!!! Keep trying.

Answer 2

You need to seek a doctor and ask him what your limitations are. Exercise is good for you -- because it will actually help you lower your BP as you lose weight and eat right.
I'm sure you realize that an unhealthy diet is another source of high BP, as well as smoking, drinking etc.
So if you are any of the above,some exercises could make some things worse - that is why you should see a doctor, tell him of any vices you may have and find out what your limitations (if any) are.
If you don't really have any of these vices, your doctor will let you know exactly how much exercise is okay.
Either way - don't just try it on your own, ask a doctor.

Answer 3

3 years ago, I was diagnosed - hypertension with a reading of 160/100. I used to feel dizzy a lot, my legs had awful cramps, and levels were very low in my potassium, causing my fingers and toes to always cramp together. One day I started to feel really faint while I was driving with my daughter in the back seat and I passed out, hitting 3 cars and ending up in a ditch. That moment,I knew I had to do something because my meds weren't working. I heard about this diet from a friend and thought I'd give it a shot. The results have been remarkable. In just 21 days, I honestly can't remember feeling this good, my blood pressure went from 175/110 to 125/70.

Answer 4

Try aerobic exercise.While nemerous studies have shown the beneficial effects of aerobic exercise on high blood pressure,the primary advice for hypertensives is to proceed with caution.
" Start with walking a quarter of a mile briskly"
" Then go up from to walk a mile briskly.After that you go running - but only after a physical exam and possibly a stress electrocardiogram"
The reason exercise works is that the blood vessels to open up(vasodilate),and that makes the blood pressure comes down.
"Even thought tends to go up back up during exercise.It drops when exercise ends.Then when it goes back up.It doesn't go up so much."
Swimming,walking.and bike riding are all good exercises for hypertension."You don't have to run" You do the same amount of work when you walk,it just takes longer to do it.The key thing is that it should it should be a brisk walk - a quarter mile in 4 minutes when start,then later a full mile in about 15 minutes or less"
Good Luck.

Answer 5

There's medication out there I have heart failure (due to the fact I was born premature at 25 weeks) and currently I'm on a medication called capoten, it's for heart failure and high blood pressure if you feel it's really bad you could ask ur doctor about this drug but even sO you should consider on enrolling in a more healthy lifestyle, never the less good luck :)

Answer 6

In my opinion, a person with high blood pressure should be careful not to over exert themselves at first. Try walking first and work your way up. Even a little bit of exercise helps by improving your self image and overall health, thus improving your blood pressure.

For a true opinion though, I would definitely contact your doctor.

Answer 7

you can stil exercise...just midly. you can still lift weights. you can walk briskly if your too scared that running will raise your bp. eventually as you drop pounds your body wont need to pump so much blood through the excess weight area and it will go down. diet is key too, low salts, low caffeine the usualy stuff. i after you exercise just check your BP to make sure its in the safe range. After each exercise check it to see what it is so you'll know how each exercise affects your BP. good luck! exercise is always key to losing weight

Answer 8

most overweight people have high BP. and if it wasn't safe to excerise, how do they become skinny? or even lose weight for that matter? just dont over do it at the start. take breathers.

Answer 9

as they say with all exercise programs contact your Dr. prior then you will know if it is safe for you. I would not take the chance and there probably is a program that would be suited for you