Artie "Mr. Fitness" Levin gave keys to artery health
This local physical fitness guru was living what he taught and blessed others along the way.
The man in the photo is Artie Levin who was a local physical fitness legend in Roanoke Virginia. I remember his television program coming on at 9:30 on weekday mornings when I was a child. You can see from the image that he could jump in the air and stretch his so that his fingers touched his toes. That simple gesture could be a big factor in longevity of life, artery health, and blood pressure readings.
I read an article about 5 or 6 years ago in WOMAN'S WORLD magazine that said being able to bend over and touch your toes indicate flexibility in the blood vessels. The article suggested that if you could not touch your toes without bending your knees that your arteries would not be able to allow proper blood flow. This leads to the possibility of a heart attack or stroke.
Artie Levin lived to age 82 and was still physically fit. His television show aired on WDBJ a CBS affiliate from the 1960's through the 1980s. I thought about him today because he was a champion of bending and stretching. I recall one of his staple exercises was touching the left foot with the right and then the left foot with the right hand. I have been doing more bending and stretching because I need my arteries to be flexible. I have been trying to lower my blood pressure by using beetroot supplements eating more vegetables and fruits including garlic.
I had been doing all the above without much success for 3 weeks and then yesterday and today I noticed a significant drop in my blood pressure. My resting numbers had been averaging 140/90 but for the past 2 days it has been around 120/80. At first I thought that perhaps it took 3 weeks for everything I have been doing to kick in and perhaps this may be true. I then remembered that for the past 3 or 4 days I had been stretching.
Just as the two people in the image are shown my arms are only going so far and I am not able to touch my toes. In the photo of Artie Levin, he was still able to touch his toes in midair when he was in his 70s. I have read a number of articles that all concur that increased flexibility in the blood vessels results in better blood flow.
The more elastic and limber your vessels are, the better they are at maintaining healthy blood pressure. Numerous studies have all stated that there seems to be a connection between flexible muscles and blood vessels that stretch. In one study, adults over age 40 who had a hard time touching their toes from a sitting position also were shown to have stiffer arteries. Their systolic blood pressure (the top numbers) were also a bit higher than their more limber peers".
I have to wonder if my stretching is what made the difference because, from everything I read, beetroot is supposed to lower blood pressure numbers within hours. Research from Johns Hopkins University indicates that the size and elasticity of the artery wall determines blood pressure readings. As we age our arteries naturally lose elasticity. This is exasperated by issues of aging that leave seniors unable to exercise, stretch or bend.
I don't think I will be jumping in the air and touching my toes as Artie Levin did but I do have a goal to be able to reach further than the couple in the picture. This article is for information purposes only and is to promoting any product as a cure for high blood pressure. Each of us is different and will have varying results with any natural methods that are supposed to improve our health.
Always make sure you discuss any changes you make with your health care provider and never stop taking any prescribed medication without your doctor's approval. Artie Levin passed away on May 3 1996 and there is no information about him online. I vaguely remember it being said that he died of pneumonia. If anyone can provide additional information please let me know and I will update this information.
About the Creator
Cheryl E Preston
Cheryl is a widow who enjoys writing about current events, soap spoilers and baby boomer nostalgia. Tips are greatly appreciated.
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