Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is a significant risk factor for chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, diabetes, and even kidney disease. While adopting a healthy lifestyle is generally recommended, some elderly people still grapple with hypertension. Dr. Chen Junru from Jinghe Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Taiwan suggests that to prevent high blood pressure in the elderly, we must first tackle the problem of inflammation.
Hypertension is a result of the accumulation of cholesterol and fats in blood vessel walls, trapping waste products and making the blood vessel walls less elastic. At the same time, the heart must pump harder to circulate blood through constricted pathways, leading to elevated blood pressure. Chen identifies two primary categories of hypertension patients: elderly people with cholesterol accumulation, and younger, overstressed individuals.
Hypertension Due to Old Age
In elderly patients, hypertension is mostly caused by the accumulation of cholesterol, or a result of arteriosclerosis, characterized by reduced elasticity in blood vessels. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) refers to this type of patient as having a “phlegm” constitution, where the body improperly metabolizes waste, leading to cholesterol buildup and subsequent arteriosclerosis.“Phlegm-dampness” is the waste that we do not need in the body.
While the body produces most of the cholesterol, inflammation or damage to blood vessel walls triggers cholesterol production as a repair mechanism, highlighting the importance of identifying the root causes of inflammation, according to Chen.
Cholesterol is like a kind of repair glue, which helps remove damage to the blood vessel wall. Therefore, the best way to alleviate blood vessel damage is to find out why the body is inflamed and/or damaged in the first place.
Overlooked Factors Contributing to Hypertension
But why do seniors who already engage in a healthy diet, are non-smokers, teetotal, and without any other unhealthy habits still suffer from hypertension-related issues? Chen said that they might have ignored the following four factors:- Fatigue: Hormonal changes during menopause can disrupt sleep quality, hindering the body’s ability to repair itself, and leading to persistent tiredness.
- Lack of Exercise: Reduced activity levels and sedentary habits can decrease the production of plasmin, an enzyme that clears blood lipids, increasing the risk of high blood pressure.
- Irregular Bowel Movements: Infrequent defecation and waste accumulation in the intestines can negatively impact blood pressure.
- Improper Diet: With growing prosperity in Taiwan these days, the elderly are enjoying the results of a flourishing economy, too. They tend to take in more calories at various gatherings and festivities. Foods on those occasions are not as easy to digest as those at home and can contribute to fat accumulation and hypertension.
Stress-Induced Hypertension in Younger Adults
For people in their 30s, hypertension is frequently triggered by work-related stress.High-pressure work stress activates the body’s stress response, leading to cortisol and adrenaline hormone release, increased heart rate, and blood redistribution that can potentially cause localized hypoxia (oxygen deprivation). This forces the heart to pump harder to ensure adequate oxygen and nutrient delivery to the brain.
Patients with this type of hypertension do not need to lower their blood pressure, according to Chen. They need sleep, rest, and exercise. Regular physical activity, such as jogging for 30 minutes daily, can help expel toxins and heavy metals from the body through sweat, Chen noted.
Beat Hypertension with Low-Impact Exercise
Cardiopulmonary exercise such as jogging can help dissolve fat in the blood, but jogging is risky for obese people as it might bring injuries to the knees. They can start with low-impact alternatives such as calisthenics, yoga, or qigong such as Tai Chi and Baduanjin. These exercises strengthen core muscles and improve gastrointestinal function. Although aerobic exercise is important, building core muscle strength can also help with symptoms of hypertension, Chen added.Strengthening calf muscles is particularly important as they aid in venous return.
Japanese doctors referred to the calves as our “second heart” because strengthening these muscles facilitates blood return. Yoga postures stretch various muscle groups, while Tai Chi and qigong, though slow, engage more muscle strength, promoting muscle health and improved circulation.
Exercise Precautions for People with High Blood Pressure
Patients with hypertension should pay attention to the following during exercise:- Understand your own physical condition: Design exercise programs based on individual fitness levels.
- Moderate-intensity exercise: Engage in moderate-intensity exercise, using the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) to gauge intensity rather than relying solely on heart rate, which may be affected by antihypertensive medications.
- Avoid high-loading exercises: High-loading exercises, such as push-ups, weightlifting, or short-distance dash should be avoided because such exercises sometimes require holding your breath or instantly increasing blood flow, which can easily cause blood pressure to rise.
- Exercise three to five times a week: Exercising two or fewer times per week provides minimal cardiovascular benefit while exercising seven times a week offers no additional advantage over three to five sessions.
- Measure resting blood pressure: It is vital to take measurement on blood pressure prior to exercise. If the resting blood pressure is already too high, the intensity of exercise on that day must be adjusted downward.
- Stop at high pre-exercise blood pressure: Avoid exercise if systolic blood pressure exceeds 180mmHg or diastolic blood pressure exceeds 110mmHg.
- Avoid breath-holding exercises: Holding your breath will restrict the return of blood and increase the pressure inside the chest cavity. All such heavy training exercises need to be avoided.
- Avoid too hot or too cold environments: People with hypertension should avoid exercising in very cold or stuffy environments, as both can constrict blood vessels and further raise blood pressure.
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