Shoulder flexibility exercises

High blood pressure is known as the silent killer becuase of its the link to heart attacks and strokes. The causes of high blood pressure are: Mental stress: Stress can have a severe impact on blood pressure, especially when it is chronic. It can occur as a result of both socioeconomic and psychosocial factors. Some aspects of sex: In general, high blood pressure is more common among adult men than adult women. However, after the age of 55 years, a woman's relative risk of hypertension increases. A recent study compared the impact of medication and exercise for reducing high systolic blood pressure.  The researchers reviewed 197 exercise randomised control trials and 194 randomised control trials looking at medication. While anti-hypertensive medications achived hight reductions in blood pressure that exercise.  Researches concluded that modest but consistent reductions in systolic blood pressure can be achieved with exercise. Reference

Previously I discussed how dehydration & lack of sodium or potassium may cause muscle cramps.  I now want to explore other nutritional factors. Calcium Calcium plays an essential role in muscle contractions.  Some active people report their problem with cramping disappears when they boost their calcium intake.  This anecdotal evidence is disputed by scientists who state that when dietary deficiencies of of calcium occur, calcium is released from the bones to provide what the body needs for proper muscle contraction.  If you are plagued by muscle cramps, it may be worth trying to increase your intake of dairy or other calcium rich foods to see if it helps. Magnesium Just as muscles need calcium to contract they need magnesium to relax. Roffe et al demonstrated that magnesium helps reduce leg cramps that occur in the middle of the night.

Reference

Roffe C¹, Sills S, Crome P, Jones P (2002), Randomised, cross-over, placebo controlled trial of magnesium citrate in the treatment of chronic persistent leg cramps. Med Sci Monit. 2002 May;8(5): p326-30.

These stretches can either be done as a complete series or individually and most of them can be done at your desk.  Some will ease tension in specific parts of the body whilst others are generally relaxing.  Please remember stretching should always be relaxing and never painful! To get maximum benefit from these stretches you should do them daily and hold each stretch for 15 seconds and repeat twice unless otherwise stated. Arm and Hand Stretches

• Stand with your feet together, keeping you feet together and your knees soft.  Raise your arms alternatively swinging them over your head as if you were performing backstroke.
• Raise your left arm above your head and push up as high as you can.  Feel the stretch down the left side of the body.  Hold for 30 seconds.  Repeat on the right.
• Raise your right arm to the side, keeping at shoulder height.  Point your fingers towards the ceiling and push your palm away from your body.  Hold for 30 seconds and repeat on left side.
• With your right hand by your side, point your fingers behind you with your palm facing up.  Push your right shoulder and wrist towards the floor, then make a fist.  Hold.  Repeat on the other side.
• Keep your arms by your side and clench your fists as tight as you can, then spread your thumb and fingers as far apart as possible.
• Let your arms hang loosely by your side and shake them for about 15 seconds.