Heart health depends on how good is the flow of blood inside the body and whether there is enough oxygen been supplied to all the parts of the body, especially the heart. The maximum number of deaths which are uncertain and without any warning is when the heart isn’t responding due to less oxygenated blood or a blockage in the arteries.
A good heart decides the years we are fit to live and work effectively. Our entire system is a web of complicated arteries responsible for the proper blood supply, but people often reach a certain age lose this function’s efficiency. In most cases, it is the artery or arteries, causing trouble for the heart to function well. Hence, there are fair chances of stroke or cardiac arrest.
Cardiovascular disease has been the most common illness in people around the world. It is not just in a single country that this disease has woven its web of death, but its worldwide and purely depends on the lifestyle one is indulged into.
Recent research at the University of Milan highlighted a new theory that states that a 12-week passive stretching could improve heart health by enhancing the body’s blood flow. The study claimed that passive stretching could improve the blood flow through the arteries and reduce the arteries’ stiffness.
In the study author’s words, after observing the 12 weeks stretching activity, it was evident that there was a reduction in blood pressure, stiffness in central and peripheral arteries, and increased vascular function. Hence, the conclusion made was that passive stretching could help in improving people’s heart health.
The essential dangers of having Vascular Disease
vascular disease is a disease where there are any complications in the arteries or blood vessels. It may involve situations like stroke, blood clot, or cardiac arrest due to the damaged or affected arteries creating trouble in the blood flow or probably blocking the flow as it is understood.
According to sources, since the vascular system comprises 100,000 miles of blood vessels, a complication could lead to pain, discomfort, or stroke, which might end up life-threatening or lead to several other disabilities. When the blood flow is right within the body, it reduces the pressure and causes less damage to the artery walls.
An increase in blood pressure results from the not proper blood flow through the arteries, resulting in a stroke or heart attack. The criticalness of a good blood flow is probably how effectively the other organs of our bodywork. Without a proper blood flow to the tissues in the vascular system, it would end up causing a risk to the other organs.
An arterial stiffness causing high blood pressure may also result in high cholesterol and inflammation. The best way to prevent arterial stiffness is to indulge in aerobic exercise or stretch to maintain the vessels’ elasticity. Once arterial stiffness kicks in, it could become challenging to manage.
What does the new study say?
The researchers from the University of Milan believed through their observation results that passive stretching could help in improving the blood flow in the body along with decreasing the arterial stiffness.
As the experts explain, passive stretching is the stretching where the stretching exercise is done with an external force such as a partner or a trainer helping in exercising. To test this hypothesis that stretching could make a difference in heart health, the researchers gathered a total number of 39 men and healthy women.
These men and women were further divided into two groups in which one was instructed to practice stretching five times a week for the whole 12 weeks in a row. But the other group didn’t perform any exercise. When the results were observed after 12 weeks, it became apparent that those who did stretching for 12 weeks had significant improvement in their heart health.
Apart from heart health, the researchers understood that stretching exercise could have implications on the vascular system, leading to a change in the blood flow and reducing heart attack changes or stroke.
One health research scientist from the Palo Alto Veterans Affairs Health Care System in California, Dr. Jonathan Myers, mentioned that the implication of this Italian study is such that it caused a,
significant improvement in flow-mediated dilation, which can be thought of as the ability of an artery to dilate in response to an increase in blood flow. A novel finding from this study was the fairly remarkable changes in vascular function simply by passive stretching.
Dr. Myers mentioned that all the aerobic exercise practitioners must consider adding stretching as part of their daily regimen to enhance their heart health even more. Moreover, he also felt a simple fact that it could be possible that stretching won’t be as effective as are the aerobic exercise. But there is a more in-depth study required to confirm the amount that stretching could go parallel and complement aerobic exercise.
He mentioned another significant aspect of the study after the observation. If the scholars opted for vascular disease participants and tried the one-week stretching routine on them, it would have been clearer whether stretching could be useful and improving in patients with vascular disease.
What the experts have to say about improving our arteries?
One of the paper authors says that stretching exercise for people with vascular disease could be helpful, especially during COVID, when people are confined to their homes. There is no physical activity, per se. As per the body’s mechanisms, arteries need to expand to supply the blood to the heart and muscles effectively.
A better expansion of arteries helps in blood flow during performing exercises and pumping blood to the abdominal muscles. The arteries’ inability to pump and supply blood to the other body organs leads to pain or discomfort. There could also be symptoms like chest pain or leg pain.
The best way to prevent artery stiffness is through regular aerobic exercise, maintaining high blood pressure. Other than that, there are medications available to dilate the arteries and minimize the pain if it is symptomatic peripheral vascular disease’ such as statins.
The current study could help in nominalizing the idea that other non-cardio training exercises such as stretching could lessen vascular diseases; apart from indulging in physical training for cardio health, a balanced diet that could help maintain cholesterol is essential for reducing artery stiffness.
There is a requirement for more study and observation to understand this theory’s validity; apart from this, only stretching isn’t enough for a healthy heart and correctly functioning artery for a smooth flow of blood.
