We know exercise can be a challenge. When faced with additional challenges, such as lack of access to parks and streets people believe are safe; competing demands on time (such as work, child care and commuting time); and for many women, concerns about hair care, many people can become discouraged about exercising.
Even I need to exercise more. Getting out and moving was easier when I was participating in a support group that helped me incorporate more physical activity into my busy lifestyle.
When I was a primary care physician, I prescribed a healthy dose of exercise to my patients. Take a brisk walk around the neighborhood (or an indoor shopping mall in bad weather), work out to an exercise DVD or join a fun-filled exercise group, such as a Zumba® or Jazzercise® class. I counseled my patients to do what worked best for their lifestyles and budgets. Now I know that if the goal is to help lower blood pressure, exercise that gets the heart rate up is critical, along with cutting unhealthy habits, such as smoking and binge watching TV after a meal.
In short, move more and move often. It could change – or even save – your life.
Dr. Nicole Redmond, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H., is a medical officer with the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, located in Bethesda, Md.