How walking assisted in my healing from an imminent stroke. (Featuring New Author @chanda)
With life you never know what tomorrow has in store for you. Here I am writing a story about what actually happened to me three months ago. I would like to inspire those who are suffering from hypertension or heart disease to start walking a lot to aid their healing. I hope my experience can help someone in this position.
I was diagnosed with hypertension last year and I have been taking my meds consistently ever since. And then suddenly……
Three month ago one afternoon I started feeling funny, my vision was blurred and I was feeling very cold. I was immediately rushed to the doctor. When we got there the doctor immediately gave me an injection, conducted an ECG (electrocardiogram) and changed my blood pressure medication.
They discovered that there was also inflammation on my back, in my chest and arm. I had blood tests taken to check for cholesterol and other things and was told to come back after two days.
When I went back for the results, my blood pressure had stabilized. My cholesterol was high and everything else was ok.
The doctor knew that I was leading a sedentary lifestyle and I was not exercising at all. Since I spent most of my time in front of the computer I didn’t have much time to exercise. I am sure most of you who work from home can relate. Sometimes we get lost in our own world on the internet and forget about everything else that matters in our lives.
Brisk Walking Lowers Your Stroke Risk
The doctor advised me to WALK in the sun besides changing my diet. I looked at her stunned because I could not believe that walking could have such an impact on my health. She told me that her husband is also hypertensive and she knew what she was talking about.
When I started this walking workout, I could only walk for 5 minutes and increased to 15 minutes by the end of the week. I can now easily walk for 30 – 45 minutes. So whenever I visited my doctor for a check-up my blood pressure readings were improving all the time.
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 is appropriate and safe for you.
Baby Steps
It was not easy for me at first - just with everything else always take baby steps.
It depends where you are at with your health. You can use my walking plan above or start at 15 or 30 minutes. Increase to 45 minutes or 3 shorter sessions interspersed throughout your day. You can walk your dog, walk with a family member or a friend and just have fun.
Getting out and walking will help you on several different levels. The act of walking itself is very relaxing especially if you visit pretty surroundings like a park. This will lower your blood pressure soon after the walk. That is a terrific benefit of walking and something that will help you feel better right away.
Walking Has A Lot Of Other Benefits
- It is a low impact exercise
- The ability to help lower your blood pressure
- Strengthens your heart
- It is cheap
- It can be a lot of fun
- While you’re walking your dog you’ll be exercising
- Helps to lose weight
How To Measure Blood Pressure
What blood pressure readings mean
As you can see from the blood pressure chart, only one of the numbers has to be higher or lower than it should be to count as either high blood pressure or low blood pressure:
- 90 over 60 (90/60) or less: You may have low blood pressure.
- More than 90 over 60 (90/60) and less than 120 over 80 (120/80): Your blood pressure reading is ideal and healthy.
- More than 120 over 80 and less than 10 over 90 (120/80-140/90: You have a normal blood pressure reading but it is a little higher than it should be and you should try to lower it. Make health changes to your lifestyle.
- 140 over 90 (140/90) or higher (over a number of weeks): You may have high blood pressure (hypertension). Change your lifestyle - see your doctor or nurse and take your medicines they may give you.
So:
- if your top number is 140 or more - then you may have high blood pressure, regardless of your bottom number.
- if your bottom number is 90 or more - then you may have high blood pressure, regardless your top number.
- if your top number is 90 or less - then you may have low blood pressure, regardless of your bottom number.
- if your bottom number is 60 or less - then you may have low blood pressure, regardless of your top number.
Credit: http://www.bloodpressureuk.org/
Decrease Risk of Stroke
- Research has shown that reducing your systolic blood pressure by 20 millimeters (regardless of how high your blood pressure currently is) decreases your risk of stroke by 50 percent. Reduce it by another 20 mm, and you cut your individual risk in half yet again.
- Exposure to sunlight reduces high blood pressure by altering the level of nitric oxide in your skin, which dilates your blood vessels thereby reducing your stroke risk.
- Recent research found that brisk walking reduced women’s risk by 20 percent.
I would advise anyone who is hypertensive to get a BP gauge to measure blood pressure at home for a healthy blood pressure. It can also assist in making the right decision at the right time.
The regular exercise makes your heart strong. Remember your heart is a muscle as you work out, it gets stronger and better at pumping blood through your body. And as you strengthen your muscles and your body overall, you are likely to lose 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 give swimming or riding your bike a try.
Some of the most effective ways to reduce hypertension regularly is a healthy diet, regular exercise, getting a good night sleep of at least 7 hours and losing weight. Walking helps you destress and it’s no wonder that walking regularly has such beneficial effects on your health.
Are you ready to get started? Why don’t you put on your shoes and go for that first walk.