Reduce Your Blood Pressure
Reduce your blood pressure without getting out of your chair? It may be possible -- if you do a little squeezing while you sit.Isometric exercises, the kind where you contract large muscles without actually moving the body part, may help reduce blood pressure in healthy people, a new study shows. And something as simple as squeezing your inner thigh muscles together while you sit would qualify.
A Dramatic Descent
That's right. Isometric exercises can be done anytime, anywhere, and they don't require you to bend or lift. In a handful of studies, folks with normal blood pressure who did three 15- to 20-minute sessions of isometric exercises every week for 10 weeks experienced more than a 10-point plunge in their systolic blood pressure. And their diastolic pressure fell almost 7 points. Not bad for not lifting a finger! Simple things like doing a static hand grip, flexing the butt muscles, or doing leg squeezes all count. In the research, the three weekly sessions included doing multiple 2-minute rounds of isometric clenches like those, with 1 to 3 minute rests in between.
Try this no-sit-up isometric move to flatten your belly fast.
When you want sleek and sexy abs -- or you just want to be able to see your shoes without bending over -- curls and sit-ups can definitely help you get there. But for even better results, you want to look above the belt.
Working your upper body may be one of the quickest paths to a really sculpted middle. One study found that when it came to making your middle-body muscles contract the most, an isometric shoulder extension exercise (moving your arms behind you) beat out isometric exercises for the stomach, back, and arms.
What's an isometric shoulder extension? It goes like this: Stand with your back to a wall, arms at your sides. Turn one palm against the wall and push it into the wall (keep your arm straight). Hold for a few seconds, release, and repeat.
Now, fill out your routine with some good old-fashioned sit-ups and crunches. Other research has found that they'll get your abs just as strong as popular, at-home workout equipment, such as ab rollers or balls, and they don't cost a cent.
Just take care to do them right.
During crunches, keep your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor, and don't tug on your head and neck as you curl up. For sit-ups, leave your feet free. Pinning them under an object or having someone hold them delegates the work to your hip flexors, so your abs stay lazy.
Round out your routine with back-strengthening exercises, like bent-over back rows. Working the whole way around your midsection keeps you injury-free and makes you walk tall, which contributes to your slim and confident look.
Not for People with High Blood Pressure
It's super important to note that people with high blood pressure need to speak with a doctor before beginning any exercise program -- but especially one involving isometric exercises. In people who have hypertension, isometric exercises could cause a dangerous spike in blood pressure. For more safe and effective blood pressure helpers, check out this advice:
- Walk a bit. a 10-minute walk can quickly lower your blood pressure.
- Ditch the salt.
Use this easy-to-use cheat sheet for low-sodium cooking.
Follow this quick checklist of sodium-slashing food-prep ideas every time you make a meal and you could be enjoying better blood pressure before you know it. These tips are based on recommendations from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the National Institutes of Health; and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Step 1: Read, read, read.
Check all labels before food preparation so you know how much sodium you're starting with.- Try to stay below the RealAge-recommended limit of 1,500 milligrams per day.
- Always buy the low-sodium versions of prepackaged, frozen, canned, or jarred foods and sauces.
- Opt for fresh veggies over canned.
- Make things from scratch when you can, to control the sodium content.
Step 2: Reduce, reduce, reduce.
How many ways can you cut the sodium from your food?- Rinse canned foods before using.
- Don't add salt to the water when you boil pasta or rice.
- Ditch the flavor packets that come with instant or prepared foods, and do your own seasoning.
- Choose fresh whole cuts of meat or fish over processed, pressed, cured, or canned.
Step 3: Season, season, season.
Get creative with fresh flavors so you won't feel tempted to grab the saltshaker.- Choose fresh herbs and salt-free spices instead of salt.
- Use herb- or citrus-infused oils, avocado mash, or malt or cider vinegars instead of salty condiments like barbecue sauce, ketchup, and soy sauce.
- Try oil with red wine vinegar or lemon juice instead of salty salad dressings.
- Season lean animal protein and veggies with onions, mushrooms, garlic, peppers, and other fresh, savory flavors.
- Stuff fresh, crunchy veggies into sandwiches or wraps, instead of pickles or olives.
WHAT’S FOR DINNER?!
Super Moist Pork Chops
Golden mushroom soup makes a simple and tasty sauce for tender sauteed pork chops.
Prep Time:
5 mins
Total Time:
25 mins
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
Directions
Heat the oil in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pork and cook until well browned on both sides.Stir the soup and water in the skillet and heat to a boil. Reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 10 minutes or until the pork is cooked through.
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