I can't tell you how many times I have heard, "Doctor I am being treated for high blood pressure. Is it safe for me to start exercising?" The answer is a resounding "YES". The Cooper Institute recently presented data in the American Journal of Cardiology showing that men with high blood pressure who participated in physical activity on a regular basis were much less likely to die prematurely than men with high blood pressure who did not participate in physical activity. In my opinion, if you have high blood pressure and it is properly controlled with medications, regular physical activity is the most important change you can make to improve or maintain your health. Of course with any new lifestyle change, it is best that you check with your doctor to assure increasing physical activity is right for your particular situation. But more than likely your doctor will be thrilled that you are considering increasing your physical activity.

There are a number of ways in which regular physical activity improves health. In most people with high blood pressure, an increase in regular physical activity results in a reduction in blood pressure. However, even if you are one of those individuals who does not see a reduction in blood pressure with regular exercise, there are NUMEROUS other positive health benefits which come from the regular physical activity. These include improvements in mood and energy level, increased muscle and reduced fat, increases in the good cholesterol (HDL), increased blood flow, and stronger bones, to name just a few. 

The ultimate goal is to obtain 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity per day on at least five days a week. Moderate intensity is best described as a brisk walk and walking is the exercise of choice for most people. Walking provides all the health benefits of jogging without the pounding provided by regular jogging. Remember physical activity does not have to be structured exercise (ie: a visit to the gym). You can accumulate minutes of physical activity throughout the day by walking the dog, walking to the store, or walking a few blocks on your lunch hour. In the beginning start slow and then build up over time. And once again, as noted above, it is important that you inform your doctor of your intention to start increasing your physical activity. Interestingly, for some individuals after a few months of regular physical activity they may start to experience a substantial reduction of blood pressure, resulting in the need to lower the amount of blood pressure medication taken.