Which Exercise Lowers Blood Pressure Best?

Which exercise is best for lowering blood pressure? New York Times fitness columnist Gretchen Reynolds puts that question to Glenn Gaesser, the director of the Healthy Lifestyles Research Center at Arizona State University and an expert on exercise and hypertension. Gaesser’s answer? Just about any exercise. Exercise helps lower blood presser, he says, because it makes blood vessels a bit more flexible, and that flexibility is most evident during and immediately after exercise. For that reason, says Gaesser, it’s a good idea to do several bouts of exercise throughout the day. Gaesser’s own research has shown that three ten-minute walks throughout they day do more to control blood pressure than one 30-minute walk does. His work also suggests that the intensity of exercise is much less important than the frequency. Simple walks, pedaling a bike, or even standing up for ten minutes at a time will help, if done often enough.