A 60-Second Shortcut to Vitality By Stefan Bechtel - Prevention Magazine, February 1 !

" Sho#n to hel$ fight high blood $re%%ure, &r Broino 'iveloff(% %i)$le e*erci%e $rogra) )ay even +ee$ age at bay, ----------------------------hat )anner of bea%t, the S$hin* a%+ed .edi$u%, #al+% fir%t on four leg%, then on t#o, then on three/ .edi$u%, the 0ree+ hero of legend, finally ca)e u$ #ith the an%#er, 1t #a% )an hi)%elf #ho began life cree$ing on all four%, later learned to #al+ u$right on t#o leg% and during hi% declining day% hobbled along on a third leg, hi% cane, 2he old riddle i% a clever one, But life i%n(t really that %i)$le or certain, 3ot everyone i% de%tined to beco)e a 4three-legged4 $er%on5 %o)e carry on to the la%t un%u$$orted by anything but their o#n vitality and ze%t for life, And )edical detective%, $robing the dee$ )y%terie% of hu)an aging, have begun to %ho# that )any )ore of u% could hold bac+ the 4inevitable4 decline of old age, 1t ruin% the riddle, but it(% terrific ne#%, 6o# doe% a $er%on ta+e action again%t age/ 2here are )any #ay%, but one ta+e% le%% than a )inute a day, co%t% nothing and can be learned al)o%t in%tantly, 1t(% been %ho#n to hel$ fight high blood $re%%ure, the )a7or ri%+ factor for heart attac+%, %tro+e and +idney di%ea%e, and no# it% inventor believe% it can al%o retard aging by the %a)e )echani%), 42here are thou%and% of theorie% of again,4 %ay% Broino 'iveloff, M,&,, a%%ociate chief of rehabilitation )edicine at the 3e# 8or+ 1nfir)ary - Bee+)an &o#nto#n 6o%$ital, 42hi% i% a ne# one-the be%t one94 &r, 'iveloff hi)%elf i% a te%ta)ent to the )ethod he(% been $racticing daily for the $a%t 1! year%, 2hough he #on(t %ay ho# old he i%, he #ill %ay he(% been $racticing )edicine for :: year%, And hi% gri$ i% %till fir), hi% %+in hardly #rin+led, hi% )ind ;uic+ and %ure, A% a <6 year-old $ainter #ho(% al%o been $racticing the )ethod $ut% it= 4.ne feel% %o )uch )ore energetic - you feel a %urge of energy i))ediately, al)o%t li+e 7u)$ing off the floor94 -hat are they doing/ >et% ta+e a loo+, -hen &r 'iveloff ca)e to 3e# 8or+ fro) Poland in 1 60, he began %$ecializing in rehabilitation )edicine, the art and %cience of hel$ing $eo$le regain their ability to live nor)ally after a di%abling illne%% or in7ury, At the 3e# 8or+ 1nfir)ary he began #or+ing #ith .live 6uber Ph,&,, $rofe%%or e)eritu% in the de$art)ent of $hy%iology at 6unter ?ollege, #ho beca)e the co-develo$er of the techni;ue, A)ong the fir%t $atient% &r%, 'iveloff and 6uber treated #ere %everal %uffering fro) inter)ittent claudication, li)$ing or %erver $ain in the leg% #hen #al+ing,

2heir $ain cau%ed by con%triction of the tiny arterie% in the li)b%, at the far edge% of the va%cular %y%te), 2o hel$ increa%e the $eri$heral circulation through the%e bed% of %)all ve%%el%, the doctor% devi%ed a %y%te) of brief, daily i%o)etric e*erci%e%, #hich earlier re%earch %ugge%ted )ight do the tric+, @1%o)etric or %tatic e*erci%e )ean% )u%cle ten%ion #ithout )ove)ent %uch a% $re%%ing your ar) again%t a doorfra)e,A .ne early $atient #a% << year%-old fe)ale doctor #ho #a% an avid hi+er hill cli)ber until inter)ittent claudication brought her hi+e% to an abru$t halt, She could #al+ no further than one or t#o bloc+% #ithout $ain, .n e*a)ination, the doctor% found %he had a hi%tory of coronary di%ea%e and high blood $re%%ure, 2hey $ut her on their i%o)etric% $rogra), and after a fe# #ee+% her $ain #hile #al+ing began to gradually fade a#ay5 it eventually di%a$$eared co)$letely, But %o)ething el%e ha$$ened, too= 6er blood $re%%ure fell fro) 1!0B 0 to 1:0B<6, @2he fir%t figure i% the %y%tolic $re%%ure, or the heart(% contracting $ha%e5 the %econd figure i% the dia%tolic $re%%ure, or rela*ing $ha%e, 3or)al blood $re%%ure for a healthy young adult i% 1C0B<0,A D*$loring further, the re%earcher% found that i%o)etric e*erci%e rai%ed the te)$erature in the hand% indicating that $eri$heral circulation #a% indeed being increa%e, 2hey even found that it could rever%e the con%triction of arterie% cau%ed by %)o+ing , ------------------1%o)etric e*erci%e% fight age by i)$roving $eri$heral circulation, &r, 'iveloff )aintain%, Al%o, he %ay%, (1t )a+e% $eo$le ha$$y,( ------------------(Dne)y 3u)ber .ne( ?ould thi% techni;ue al%o be a %afe reliable #ay of lo#ering high blood $re%%ure for the )ore than C0 )illion A)erican% #ho %uffer fro) it/ 4Dne)y nu)ber one,4 a% &r 'eveloff refer% to hy$erten%ion, i% often the gri) $relude to heart di%ea%e - the leading cau%e of death in the Enited State%, &r%, 'iveloff and 6uber de%igned a %tudy to te%t their i%o)etric% $rogra) on CC volunteer%, Seven of the) had nor)al blood $re%%ure, and 1: #ere hy$erten%ive, Seven of the 1: hy$erten%ive% #ere al%o ta+ing drug% to hel$ control their $re%%ure, 3ot %ur$ri%ingly, #hile actually doing the e*erci%e% all the volunteer% %ho#ed an increa%e in heart rate and blood $re%%ure, But after five to eight #ee+% of regular daily i%o)etric%, blood $re%%ure dro$$ed %ignificantly a)ong the hy$erten%ive volunteer%, 2he eight hy$erten%ive $eo$le #ho #ere not ta+ing any drug% regi%tered dro$% in %y%tolic $re%%ure of fro) 1" to C: $ercent and dia%tolic $re%%ure dro$$ed C to C< $ercent, 2he five $eo$le #ho +e$t on ta+ing their )edication #hile they did the e*erci%e% e*$erienced %)aller decline%= Sy%tolic $re%%ure #ent do#n " to 1! $ercent, dia%tolic dro$$ed C to 1: $ercent,

2#o of the %tudy %ub7ect% did the e*erci%e% in%tead of ta+ing their )edication, For the), blood $re%%ure dro$$ed do#n to nor)al and %tayed there, 2he %even %ub7ect% #ith nor)al blood $re%%ure #ere unaffected by the e*erci%e% @Fournal of A)erican 0eriatric% Society, &ece)ber, 1 <1A, 2here #ere %o)e 4free bonu%e%4 to the $rogra) a% #ell= Many of the volunteer% re$orted that they felt fitter, )ore energetic and noticed i)$rove)ent% in their $o%ture, )u%cle tone and general a$$earance, So have )any of the hundred% of $eo$le #ho(ve #ritten &r, 'iveloff about their %ucce%% #ith the $rogra), a% he(% gone about 4%$reading the #ord4 through )edical 7ournal% and the lay $re%% over the $a%t 10 year%, .ne )an #e tal+ed to that been re%tricted to a %alt-free diet and $ut on )edication after hi% doctor di%covered hi% blood $re%%ure #a% 160B :, Dvery three )onth% for the $a%t %even year%, he had to go to the doctor for blood te%t% and other chec+u$% on hi% $rogre%%, But after five to eight #ee+% of i%o)etric%, hi% $re%%ure fell to 1C0B!0 and he di%continued the )edication @though he %till avoid% %alt, he %ay%, becau%e he learned to li+e the ta%te of %altle%% foodA, 41t(% %o )uch )ore #onderful than ta+ing )edication,4 he told u%, 48ou have to go to the doctor only #hen #ant to94 An e*ecutive nearing 6: told u% he hadn(t )i%%ed a %ingle day of i%o)etric% %ince he %tarted %even year% ago, and hi% blood $re%%ure ha% %tayed at 1"0B<0 @do#n fro) 1!:B10:A, 41() in a#fully good %ha$e, fit and fle*ible, and thi% i% the only regular e*erci%e 1 get,4 he told Prevention Magazine, A diabetic ho%$ital technician %tarted the e*erci%e% 1G year% ago after di%covering her blood $re%%ure #a% u$ to 1 :B 0, 1t dro$$ed to 1G0B<0 in %hort order, %he told u%, and today @ at the age of :6A it(% %till there, 42he e*erci%e% have really, really hel$ed )e, but they(re the +ind of thing% you have to +ee$ doing every day, >a%t year 1 %to$$ed doing the) and )y blood $re%%ure %tarted going right bac+ u$ again,4 %he %ay%, She note% the e*erci%e% have other benefit%, too= 2hey hel$ rela* her before bed, hel$ relieve the nu)bne%% that %o)eti)e% %ettle% in her hand% and hel$ cure headache%, 1%o)etric%, %he believe%, have 4given )e a ne# lea%e on life,4 -hat i% thi% e*traordinary $rogra)/ 1t(% %i)$le--though it(% i)$ortant that it be done correctly, 2he )o%t i)$ortant thing i% to breathe nor)ally doing i%o)etric%, Al%o, ob%erve the ti)e li)it= %i* to %even %econd% for each e*erci%e, 1n )edical 7argon, the $rogra)(% full na)e i% 4brief )a*i)al e*ten%ive i%o)etric e*erci%e,4 &r, 'iveloff $oint%, #ith the e)$ha%i% on brief, By counting aloud to ea%ily +ee$ trac+ of your ti)e and you can al%o )aintain nor)al breathing, 6ere(% ho# you do it= H Stand in a rela*ed $o%ition, ar)% hanging loo%e, &on(t clench your fi%t% or bend your elbo#% or 7oint%, H 2en%e all your )u%cle% at the %a)e ti)e a% tightly a% $o%%ible, #hile

breathing nor)ally and counting aloud to %i*, 8ou )ight try ten%ing each )u%cle grou$ %e$arately -- leg%, ar)% che%t, abdo)en, face -- and then try ten%ing the) all at once, -hen you do, you %hould feel an i))ediate %urge of #ar)th all over your body, H Iela* and re%t for a fe# %econd%, H Ie$eat the e*erci%e t#ice )ore, H &o thi% three ti)e% a day @try )orning, noon and nightA, And that(% all there i% to it, &r, 'iveloff told u% he(% begun doing the e*erci%e% four or five ti)e% a day for added benefit, And, he added, though the original %tudy #a% done #ith $eo$le e*erci%ing in a %tanding $o%ition, it can be done %itting or even lying do#n, 0enerally, he %ay%, it ta+e% %i* to eight #ee+% to $roduce a %ignificant dro$ in blood $re%%ure @if your $re%%ure i% elevated to begin #ithA, #ith the long-ter) benefit% gro#ing over ti)e, @1f you are $re%ently under a doctor(% care for high blood $re%%ure, you %hould con%ult your doctor before di%continuing any )edication% or beginning an e*erci%e $rogra),A 2a+ing E$ Ar)% Again%t Age But #hat doe% thi% have to do #ith aging/ Dverything in the #orld, &r, 'iveloff )aintain%, 6e e*$lain% hi% theory thi% #ay= 42he hu)an body i% li+e a $lant, -hen there i% not enough )oi%ture it #ither%5 #hen the blood %u$$ly to the body ti%%ue% and vital organ% i% i)$aired a lo%% of vitality, early aging and cardiova%cular di%ea%e% follo#,4 So aging i% a $roce%% that begin% #ith i)$aired circulation, a con%triction of the ve%%el% that %u$$ly o*ygen and nutrient% to ti%%ue% and organ% and carry off #a%te, A $er%on(% age, he add%, i% not %o)ething that(% deter)ined by the calendar, 42he )ain cau%e of early death--cardiova%cular and cerebrova%cular decline--can %et at any age,4 he %ay%, ?rucial to a healthy cardiova%cular %y%te) i% good $eri$heral circulation, 1n fact, blood $re%%ure i% directly related to $eri$heral circulation, %ince the greater the re%i%tance to blood flo# through tho%e tiny, far-flung ve%%el%, the harder the heart ha% to $u)$ to $u%h the blood through, and the higher your blood $re%%ure, 2he $roce%% +no#n a% 4cardiova%cular ada$tation4--or the #ay a race get% ea%ier the longer you train for it--i% largely a )atter of i)$roved $eri$heral circulation, &r, 'iveloff %ay%, A %ound cardiova%cular %y%te) al%o re;uire% ade;uate re%erve% of blood $ro$erly di%tributed through the body, he %ay%, 3or)ally the )u%cle% %tore %o)e G0 to :0 $ercent of the body(% total %u$$ly, 8et aging affect% blood-%toring )u%cle fiber, re$lacing it #ith connective ti%%ue, #hich can(t %tore blood nearly a% #ell,

1%o)etric%, &r, 'iveloff )aintain%, attac+% all the%e $roble)% at once, 1t(% been %ho#n to dra)atically and reliably i)$rove $eri$heral circulation, 1t i)$rove% and )aintain% )u%cle tone and )u%cle bul+, delaying the conver%ion of )u%cle fiber to connective ti%%ue and thu% $rotecting the $ro$er balance of blood re%erve% though the body, And it chec+% the %teady u$#ard cree$ in blood $re%%ure that u%ually acco)$anie% age, #hich can lead to %eriou% and often fatal co)$lication%, Along the #ay, &r, 'iveloff %ay%, you ta+e u$ ar)% again%t again other #ay%= 0ood $eri$heral circulation hel$% $revent #rin+le, for e*a)$le, 1)$roved $o%ture aid% your overall health and fight% off one of the cla%%ic %ign% of age= %too$ed %houlder%, And enhanced %en%e of #ell-being %o )any $eo$le re$ort goe% a long #ay to#ard +ee$ing a youthful %$ring in your %te$, &r, 'iveloff told Prevention Magazine hi% original %tudy ha% never been %eriou%ly challenged by other re%earcher%, 8et %ur$ri%ingly little additional #or+ ha% been done to clarify or confir) it, .ne recent &ani%h %tudy %ee)% to %u$$ort hi% #or+, ho#ever, .ver a $eriod of nine #ee+%, nine healthy )en $erfor)ed i%o)etric e*erci%e% @+nee e*ten%ion%A #hile their blood $re%%ure and heart rate #ere )onitored, At the end of the %tudy $eriod, t#o )inute% of i%o)etric% $roduced a lo#er heart and blood $re%%ure than it had at the beginning of the %tudy @A)erican Fournal ?ardiology, February, 1 < A, &yna)ic or )oving e*erci%e% %uch a% 7ogging al%o4 generally have favorable effect on blood $re%%ure,4 according to 6o#ard 6artley, M,&,, director of cardiac rehabilitation at Brigha) and -o)en(% 6o%$ital, in Bo%ton, &r, 6artley told Prevention Magazine that in hi% o#n %tudie% of $eo$le #ith hy$erten%ion, a decline in blood $re%%ure occurred after %everal #ee+% of 7ogging, 40enerally %$ea+ing,4 he told u%, 4the higher the re%ting blood $re%%ure, the greater the re%$on%e to conditioning,4 A%+ed about the lac+ of follo#-u$ %tudie% on &r, 'iveloff(% #or+, &r, 6artley %aid, 42here(% not a lot of enthu%ia%) a)ong doctor% about reco))ending i%o)etric% to $eo$le #ho are $rone to coronary di%ea%e, becau%e it ha% the $otential for being very %tre%%ful e*erci%e,4 8et &r, 'iveloff )aintain% that he(% %een no %ide effect%--%uch a% irregular heartbeat%, dizzine%% or di%co)fort--in anyone doing the e*erci%e% $ro$erly, 1n fact, he $oint% out a %tudy of 1G0 $atient% #ith +no#n or %u%$ected coronary artery di%ea%e concluded that i%o)etric e*erci%e alone i% )uch le%% li+ely to $roduce )yocardial i%che)ia @%hortage of blood to the heartA than vigorou% dyna)ic e*erci%e @ ?he%t, A$ril G, 1 <:A, 1n hi% office at the rehabilitation center at the 3e# 8or+ 1nfir)ary, &r, 'iveloff lean% bac+ in hi% chair, &e%$ite all the $ublicity, he tell% a vi%itor, he( never )ade a $enny for hi% i%o)etric% $rogra) e*ce$t the $ay)ent for one )agazine article, -hy doe% he go on teaching and tal+ing about it, de%$ite the

lac+ of financial re#ard and %o)e re%i%tance fro) the )edical co))unity/ 2he vi%itor a%+%, 4Becau%e it )a+e% $eo$le ha$$y, you +no#,4 And then he %)ile%,