HEALTHY LIVING


Exercise a Key to Help Lower Blood Pressure, Cholesterol


A prescription for lifestyle changes can be more effective than medicine. ::


BY CHARLOTTE LIBOV M


illions of americans with moderately high blood pressure and/or cholesterol should change their lifestyle before resorting to drug treatment, the nation’s largest


cardiac association says. In June, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued


a new scientific statement that says making healthy lifestyle changes, particularly exercise and weight loss, should be the first option for people with moderately high blood pressure and cholesterol who are otherwise healthy. The statement defines


moderate hypertension as a systolic (the top number) blood pressure level of 120-139 mm Hg, or a diastolic (bottom number) reading of 80-89 mm Hg. Moderate LDL (“bad”)


cholesterol is higher than 70 mg/dL. This shift from drug


treatment, like high blood pressure medication and cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, is due to research showing that lifestyle changes can be as or even more effective than medication for people who are at low risk of heart disease, cardiologist Chauncey Crandall, M.D., tells Newsmax magazine. “We used to think that everyone needed drug therapy,


but now that we understand more about how heart disease develops, we are now putting the focus first on lifestyle,” says Crandall, the director of the preventive cardiology program at Mount Sinai Heart New York Palm Beach, in Jupiter, Florida. His practice includes interventional, vascular, and transplant cardiology. According to the AHA’s statement, a lifestyle


prescription would be appropriate for people whose blood pressure or cholesterol is only mildly to moderately elevated. For blood pressure, this would include an estimated


21 percent of U.S. adults — about 53 million. Likewise, roughly 28 percent of U.S. adults, or about 71 million people, have slightly high cholesterol levels.


84 NEWSMAX MAXLIFE | OCTOBER 2021 Studies show increasing physical activity can lower


systolic and diastolic blood pressure by an average of 3-4 mm Hg and can decrease LDL cholesterol by 3-6 mg/dL, the AHA’s statement says. In addition, increased activity, weight loss, a healthier


diet, stopping smoking, and limiting alcohol are also recommended. Men should have no more than two drinks per day, and women should have no more than one drink per day, the AHA says. “Depending on the individual, a loss of 10 pounds


could mean the elimination of blood pressure medication, and this results in better cholesterol and blood glucose [sugar] readings as well,” adds Crandall, author of Newsmax’s Heart Health newsletter. Crandall’s recommendations


for jumpstarting lifestyle changes include: Walk an hour a day, or 10,000


steps. You can start gradually, with a 10-minute walk a day, and then add five minutes until you reach one hour. People who walk first thing in the morning have a better chance of sticking with it. Get back on your bike. Bike riding provides an efficient


cardiovascular workout, helps build strength, and even increases balance and flexibility. By using leg power, you can burn a lot of calories, and you don’t have to ride fast to reap cardiovascular benefits. To lose weight fast, eliminate “white” foods. Cut out


refined sugar, white bread, potatoes, rice, etc. Your body transforms these foods into glucose, which leads to insulin spikes, making you feel hungrier faster. Try “snacking” on exercise. These snacks are short


bursts of activity, like running in place during the commercials on TV, climbing the stairs instead of using the elevator, or getting up from your desk for a dance break. Doing such activities frequently during the day will boost your overall activity level considerably. If you snore, get checked for sleep apnea. This


potentially serious sleep disorder, in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts, is linked to high blood pressure. In addition, the resulting sleep deprivation leads to imbalances in the hormones leptin (the fullness hormone) and ghrelin (the hunger hormone), which results in eating more and craving junk food.


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