Some of the 80 million adults in the United States with high blood pressure may want to put down their drugs and pick up a rubber ball.
According to a study from the Journal of Hypertension, 10-minutes per day, 3-days per week of hand grip training is enough to moderately reduce high blood pressure levels.
The technique, known as isometric training, has been shown to be effective in several research studies and has led to the release of an FDA-approved blood pressure lowering device known as the Zona.
However, many medical experts are claiming that squeezing a rubber ball can have the same beneficial properties at a fraction of the cost (it can be found in most sports stores for under $10).
It just can’t be FDA approved because, there really is no device in place except a small rubber ball.
As stated before, the rubber squeeze ball exercise provides MODERATE improvements in blood pressure.
Your article is to a great extent true as there are lots of herb medicines that contain some impurities if I may use the word. However in Africa especially Nigeria where I am and Ghana, there are well researched products particularly from Centre for Research in Plant Medicine located in Mampong Akwapim in Ghana. I have used some of their products and they were very effective and thanks for the awareness.
Do you need to use a rubber ball in each hand? Or alternate in each hand for 10 minutes? Thanks!
going to try this!
One proven way to use the balls:
Use 2 balls softer than a tennis ball (one in each hand).
Squeeze at no more than 30% of your strength as you inhale.
Relax hands as you exhale.
Breathing should be deep and rhythmic and slow it down as much as possible. Listening to slow music may help.
Do daily for about 3 weeks for around 10 min. Then keep monitoring your bp and taper down to 3x week only if bp remains lowered. Also read about the correct way to measure blood pressure (take 3 readings, heart height, etc.).