There is so much pollution in large number of cities around the globe. This pollution causes high blood pressure and other health related issues in many people living in these cities. How to cancel out the negative effects of pollution on blood pressure. The simple answer is doing exercise. Regular exercise could help lower the risk of high blood pressure, even in areas with heavy air pollution, according to a new study conducted in Asia.
The research analyzed data on more than 140,000 adults in Taiwan who did not have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, and who were followed for an average of five years. Researchers classified participants as inactive, moderately active or highly active, and ranked their level of exposure to fine particulate matter, the most commonly used indicator of air pollution.
\”Extended outdoor activity in urban areas increases the intake of air pollutants, which can worsen the harmful health effects of air pollution,\” study author Xiang Qian Lao said in a news release.
\”While we found that high physical activity combined with lower air pollution exposure was linked to lower risk of high blood pressure, physical activity continued to have a protective effect even when people were exposed to high pollution levels,\” said Lao, an associate professor at the Jockey Club School of Public Health and Primary Care at The Chinese University of Hong Kong. \”The message is that physical activity, even in polluted air, is an important high blood pressure prevention strategy.\”
More than 91% of people worldwide live in areas where air quality does not meet World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines.
However, even with exercise\’s protective benefits, researchers found that reducing air pollution is a more effective strategy for lowering blood pressure risk that habitual exercise. The study calculated that each increase in particulate matter level was associated with a 38% increase in risk of hypertension, while each increase in physical activity level led to a 6% lower risk.
Overall, people who were highly active and exposed to low levels of pollution had a lower risk of developing high blood pressure. People who were inactive and exposed to highly polluted air had a higher risk of high blood pressure, which researchers defined as 140/90.
The research, Lao said, shows exercise should be promoted even in polluted areas – and highlights the importance of air quality.
\”This is the largest study to analyze the combined effects of air pollution and regular physical activity on high blood pressure,\” he said. \”Our findings indicate that regular physical activity is a safe approach for people living in relatively polluted regions to prevent high blood pressure.\”
In 2004, the AHA issued a scientific statement concluding exposure to air pollution contributes to cardiovascular illness and death. A 2010 update elaborated on those risks, which include heart attack, stroke, arrhythmia and heart failure.
We, at Kanpo Lab, suggest people with high blood pressure exercise on daily basis. If they feel that merely involving in physical activities is not helping them reduce their high blood pressure, they are advised to take herbal food like Blood Cleanser to start reducing their blood pressure to normal levels. Apart from helping reduce your blood pressure to normal ranges, it offers many other health benefits as mentioned on this page.
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