Dr Michael Mosley activity for people who 'can't do conventional exercise' to slash 'silent killer' risk

Dr Michael Mosley activity for people who 'can't do conventional exercise' to slash 'silent killer' risk The late doctor was famous for his easy-to-follow advice and exercises which helped boost the health of numerous people around the world Around one in three adults in the UK has high blood pressure. Known as the 'silent killer', it can lead to strokes, heart attacks, and other health problems. Under the UK Government’s Cardiovascular Disease Modern Service Framework, cutting high blood pressure is a priority for the NHS. But how can we do that? It may have been more than two years since his passing, but Dr Michael Mosley's legacy lives on. His work in public health touched millions of lives - and he had three simple exercises which could 'help reduce blood pressure in the comfort of your own home'. What are the exercises? The Plank In an Instagram post from SBS Australia, Dr Mosley, who was a GP as well as a TV presenter and documentary maker, is seen demonstrating the three exercises. "Okay, so this is the plank," he says. "The idea is you go up on your elbows, keep your body straight, and hold this for as long as you can, ideally for up to two minutes, which I can assure you is a long time if you're doing the plank. "Isometric exercises, where you tighten your muscles but don't actually move them, like the plank or the wall sit, can help reduce blood pressure in the comfort of your own home." Wall sit "So, this is the wall sit. You put your legs out about two feet, and this is a real thigh burner. Well, maybe comfort was the wrong word. The idea is you try and hold it for about 20 to 30 seconds, you have a breather, and you go and do it again another couple of times." Grip strength "Now, this is a surprising one, and it's particularly suitable if you can't do more conventional exercise. Now, what you have to do is you have to grip this thing, and the idea is you squeeze it, and then you hold it for a couple of minutes. And you do it again a couple more times, and you try and do this about three times a week. You can get hold of these grip strengtheners pretty easily online." Isometric exercises and blood pressure As Dr Mosley said, isometric exercises are static muscle contractions where the muscle length and joint angle do not change while you hold a fixed position. One 2023 study from the University of Leicester highlights how effective they are at slashing blood pressure. The systematic review looked at 270 trials carried out around the world between 1990 and 2023 with almost 16,000 participants. It compared blood pressure readings after doing one of: - Aerobic exercise, such as cycling, walking and jogging - Resistance training, such as lifting weights - Combined training (weights and aerobic exercise) - High-intensity interval training (HIIT), such as sprint intervals - Isometric exercises, such as wall squats It found that isometric exercises were most effective at cutting blood pressure, followed by combined training, resistance training, aerobic exercise, and HIIT. It also showed that walking was less effective at lowering blood pressure than cycling or running, but wall squats defeated them all when it came to lowering blood pressure. Wall squats were actually the most effective exercise out of all those compared. Jamie O’Driscoll, a reader in cardiovascular physiology at Canterbury Christ Church university and senior author of the report, said: "They increase the tension in the muscles when held for two minutes, then cause a sudden rush of blood when you relax. This increases the blood flow, but you must remember to breathe." Why cut blood pressure? High blood pressure costs the NHS over £2.1 billion every year, according to Public Health England. It is one of the most preventable and treatable health conditions, but half of people with high blood pressure are not diagnosed or receiving treatment. High blood pressure is responsible for more than half of all strokes and heart attacks, and is also a risk factor for heart disease, kidney disease and vascular dementia. The NHS says: "If your blood pressure is too high, it puts extra strain on your blood vessels, heart and other organs, such as your brain, kidneys and eyes. If it's not treated, it can increase your risk of serious conditions such as: Lowering your blood pressure even a small amount can help reduce your risk of these problems. You can lower it by having a healthy, balanced diet, exercising regularly, and losing weight if you are overweight. Reducing the amount of salt in your diet, cutting back on alcohol and caffeine, and not smoking are also good ways of slashing your blood pressure. NHS Better Health has free tools and support to help you lose weight, get active, quit smoking, and drink less. There are also lots of different medicines used to lower blood pressure. Which one you are given depends on your age, ethnicity, and how high your blood pressure is. Most are tablets which are taken once a day, although more than one medicine may be needed.