As you get older your arteries – like your joints – tend to become stiffer and less elastic, a process that contributes to high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart disease. The good news: a simple exercise may keep your arteries in tip-top shape.
In a study published in the American Journal of Physiology, researchers in Japan measured trunk flexibility in 526 adults by asking them to touch their toes while sitting with their legs straight. They also took each participants’ blood pressure using the brachial ankle pulse wave velocity test – a comparison of blood pressure at the ankle, arm, neck and leg that indicates how well blood is flowing through the body. After analyzing the data, they found that those who could reach the furthest also tended to have the lowest blood pressure – and vice versa.
Why are flexible muscles linked to flexible arteries? It may be that people with lower blood pressure are also more likely to exercise, which improves flexibility as well as blood pressure. However, the authors of the study looked at other measures of general fitness, such as muscle strength, and found that people who were flexible but not particularly fit also tended to have lower blood pressure. Researchers suspect that the physiological process unleashed in your body from stretching might also contribute to arterial health.
Source: Healthcommunities
I wonder how many people after reading this tried to touch their toes? I know I did...and will be every day after reading this! Thank you for the great information!
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