(15-03-12) Combat high blood pressure with yoga exercises

by Sarka-Jonae Miller


(NaturalNews) When you think of yoga flexibility, relaxation and maybe
meditation come to mind. The application of yoga as a system of healing rarely
enters the Western mind. Despite today's widespread reliance on Western
medicine (drugs), yoga has been used for thousands of years for concerns like
high blood pressure (HBP), a condition the University of Maryland Medical
Center (UMMC) calls "The Silent Killer".

One in three Americans have high blood pressure, according to the National
Heart Lung and Blood Institute. High blood pressure (hypertension) is
frequently a precursor to heart disease, the number one killer of Americans.
Specific yoga poses are known to be beneficial exercises for high blood
pressure.

Lower the numbers
Someone in the United States dies approximately every 33 seconds from heart
disease, according to UMMC. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends
exercise, stress management and weight management to prevent high blood
pressure, thereby lowering the risk of heart disease. Yoga can help with all
three recommendations.

Yoga is known to lower blood pressure, especially the diastolic score,
according to the American Yoga Association (AYA). Blood pressure is measured as
two numbers, a systolic score written above a diastolic score. The systolic
number is a measurement of blood pressure while the heart pumps blood.
Diastolic refers to blood pressure between beats. The AYA states that the
diastolic number is the most important. Additionally, people with high
diastolic blood pressure frequently develop a high systolic blood pressure too,
according to the Mayo Clinic.

Yoga benefits high blood pressure through promoting relaxation of the mind and
body. Practicing yoga helps decrease the negative impacts of stress, including
tension, shallow breathing and elevated heart rate. It also improves physical
strength and flexibility, plus may assist with weight loss, according to
Prevention magazine.

Beneficial high blood pressure exercises
Certain yoga poses are therapeutic for high blood pressure, according to Yoga
Journal. Well-known poses like downward facing dog and easy pose are
beneficial, but so are lesser known exercises like the big toe pose and seated
forward bend:

Big toe pose

Stand with feet together. Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the nose and
bend forward at the waist, keeping the back straight. Grab the big toes and
gently pull down.

Seated forward bend

Sit with legs straight and pressed together. Exhale through the nose and bend
forward at the hips. Keep the back straight and reach for the toes.

Additionally, MedIndia.net, a website managed by the Medindia Health Network,
recommends camel pose and the knee squeeze as high blood pressure exercises:

Camel pose

Kneel on the floor. Exhale and arch the back, reaching back for the ankles.
Tilt the head and look at the ceiling. Hips remain in line with the knees.

Knee squeeze

Lie face up on the floor with the legs straight. Exhale, bend one knee and hug
it into the chest. Keep the other leg straight. Switch legs.

Potentially dangerous yoga exercises
People with high blood pressure need to be careful with inversion poses,
according to Yoga Journal. Inverted poses are where the head is below the
heart. This position increases pressure inside the blood vessels of the neck
and head. However, starting with mild inversions and gradually increasing the
degree of inversion overtime may strengthen the blood vessels and could be
beneficial in the long run.

Additional recommendations
To prevent high blood pressure, the AHA advises limiting alcohol intake and
refraining from smoking. Eating a healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables and
whole grains, but low in salt, is also recommended.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.americanyogaassociation.org/13hypertension.html
http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2010/apr-02b.html
http://www.yogajournal.com
http://www.medindia.net/yoga-lifestyle/yogaHighBloodPressure-print.htm
http://www.umm.edu/features/blood_pressure.htm
http://www.heart.org
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/hbp/
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/2466
http://www.yogajournal.com/poses/477
http://www.prevention.com/fitness/yoga/top-yoga-poses-weight-loss

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In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.