Dr. Toshiro Iketani, director of Iketani Hospital, points out that reactive oxygen species become excessive due to stress, ultraviolet rays, smoking, and aging, continuously attacking the inner walls of blood vessels and causing "oxidative stress," which makes blood vessels harden or form plaques. The human body is born with antioxidant enzymes (a "rust-removal squad") that clear reactive oxygen species, but these weaken with age. Exercise is precisely the key to awakening them: when you exercise until you are out of breath, reactive oxygen species temporarily increase, and the body instead produces large amounts of antioxidant enzymes, far more than needed—similar in principle to a vaccine.
Regular, moderate exercise can keep the rust-removal squad active and keep blood vessels soft. In addition, during aerobic exercise, blood flow rubs against the inner walls of blood vessels. With regular exercise for several weeks to several months, blood vessels will "expand" (vascular remodeling), and their diameter will become larger. After blood vessels become larger, the burden on the heart is reduced, blood pressure drops, blood circulation becomes smoother, physical strength improves, and it is harder to get tired.
Iketani explains that blood sugar levels are highest about 30 minutes to 1 hour after a meal. If a sudden rise in blood sugar—a "blood sugar spike"—occurs at this time, it accelerates vascular aging. Targeting this peak time to move the body so that glucose is immediately consumed as energy is the key to stabilizing blood sugar.
The "Zombie Exercise" recommended by Iketani happens to lower both blood pressure and blood sugar levels at the same time. Its exercise intensity is 2 to 3 times that of ordinary walking, and doing it for just 4 to 5 minutes can give the same exercise effect as walking for 10 minutes. By using moderate up-and-down movement to lower blood pressure, and performing it within 30 minutes to 1 hour after meals to suppress blood sugar spikes, it is recommended to make it a habit to do it after breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Stand up straight and gently march in place. Relax both shoulders, let the arms hang down and swing, jog slowly in place while alternately swinging the shoulders forward and backward, for 1 minute.
Swing both arms naturally and slow down to stepping in place for 30 seconds. Take "jogging in place for 1 minute + walking in place for 30 seconds" as 1 set, and repeat for 3 sets.
When moving around the house, such as going to the toilet or bathroom, "Zombie Slow Jog" is recommended. Frequently doing the Zombie Exercise in daily life can increase exercise intensity and help solve lack of exercise.
A report published by teams including Japan's National Cerebral and Cardiovascular Center Research Institute points out that mild physical activity accompanied by moderate up-and-down movement in daily life, such as walking or stepping in place, can also be expected to have a blood pressure-lowering effect.
When up-and-down movement causes the feet to land, moderate vibration is transmitted to the head, and the fluid in the brain tissue flows accordingly, stimulating the blood pressure regulation center in the brain. This reduces the expression of proteins that raise blood pressure, and blood pressure drops accordingly. Walking a little, going up and down stairs, and gently stepping in place can all activate the body's mechanism for "lowering blood pressure." When blood pressure is stable and blood flow improves, the excess pressure borne by blood vessels is reduced.
Source: Dr. Toshiro Iketani
