Walking Reduces BP - It really does

I've always been one of those folks that's never quite comfortable when visiting the doctor. My blood pressure readings are always significantly higher when taken there than when taken in the quiet environment of my home office.

I've always been a believer in the advice that walking is good exercise. I've been thru many episodes over the years where I get into a 'walking regimen' and manage to pull it off for two or three weeks, but then it dies off when I lose interest. It's akin to cutting back calories and losing a few pounds, then once you take your belt in a notch or drop a pants size, you kind of back off and are back to the normal mode of eating.

My granddaughter and family are living with me while between houses and she attends a local elementary school. She's still quite young and her mom feels it's good if she has company going to and from school each day. Initially my daughter was only working part time and could take her both morning and afternoon.

About a month ago, my daughter began working full time. She still takes her daughter to school each day before work, but the after-school fetch has become my responsibility. I made an early decision that I would walk to school each afternoon and accompany her back home rather than fight the line of after school cars. It's been almost a month now and through chill, wind, rain and spring-like days we've walked.

I visited my local cardio doctor this Tuesday. For the first time since youth, my blood pressure reading was wonderful. I updated the doc on my recent exercise routine and I'm paraphrasing here, but the doc basically said, "Damn boy, you're doing good...just keep up the good work."

Guess the old 'white coat syndrome' shows up when the patient has little confidence in their physical condition and can't relax during the exam. Walking boosted my doctor's office confidence this visit, now all I have to do is maintain my walking regimen.

JD, walking around the Big Town of Savage

PS - Of course school's out in June and they could find a house and move; then I'd just be spending inordinate amounts of time writing blog posts again.