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All too many times overwhelmed caregivers are physically and emotionally depleted and need to take time to rest and care for themselves. Believing in a holistic approach to caregiver stress and a strong commitment to helping our members find the right solutions, we created this blog to help you connect with others who, like you, may be facing the same eldercare issues and challenges. Feel free to comment, ask questions, and submit articles. Please forward the blog link to your family and friends. They'll be glad you did.

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Patricia Grace
founder & CEO
Aging with Grace

Thursday, February 23, 2012

Swimming found to lower blood pressure in older adults


In the first study of its kind, researchers found that 12 weeks of swimming significantly lowered the blood pressure and improved the artery health of sedentary older adults.

Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin studied older adults with prehypertension or stage 1 hypertension who were not on any medication. Half of the participants took part in 12 weeks of swimming exercises and the other half performed gentle relaxation exercises during this time. Each group participated in its assigned activity three to four days a week for 15 to 45 minutes a day.

At the end of the study, the swimming group’s systolic blood pressure fell 7 percent and their arteries became more elastic and responsive to changes in blood pressure. The group that performed relaxation exercises showed no statistically significant improvements. Researchers noted that this study indicates one more benefit of swimming for older adults. Since swimming minimizes weight-bearing stress and is unlikely to lead to overheating, swimming is an ideal exercise for older adults whether or not they have high blood pressure, said researchers.

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