Exercise Protocol
Exercise is a crucial component of heart health. Our patients may struggle with the ability to make time for exercise, may not have the right space to exercise in, or may even feel that typical exercise regimens don’t connect to their interests or fitness levels. We recognize that neighborhood safety and access to space are factors that need to be considered when beginning to add in exercise. Our program specifically teaches exercise routines that can be done in small spaces and/or offer safe alternatives to exercising outside if that’s not an option.
Many apps encourage weight loss to reduce blood pressure. At Oben, we have intentionally omitted this specific terminology because of the negative connotations that are perceived by the black population around words like diet and weight loss. While it is likely to be a by-product of this app, we shy away from daily weight measurements in order to increase engagement and understanding of what makes the black community comfortable with diet and wellness changes.
Aerobic activity is a primary skill of the exercise section. The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes a week of aerobic exercise. This is a goal for our users, but is implemented gradually. Our treatment plans take into account limited time, what the person enjoys, as well as their experience with different activities. We customize a plan that works specifically for them, with as little as 5 minutes of day to start off, helping users make manageable lifestyle changes. For example, we discuss ways to get in 5-15 minutes a day of walking, while ensuring the content is still engaging and building a positive correlation between movement and overall health. We encourage users to walk with a friend or family member, make a playlist, take a walk indoors if their neighborhood isn’t safe, dance and move as they walk, walk in intervals, all ways to feel more engaged. One week of our aerobic skill is dedicated to dance and movement led by a dance teacher. This helps patients engage with their bodies and connect with music while also receiving cardiovascular benefits that count towards their 150 minutes of exercise. Dance has been shown in numerous studies as a means to lower stress levels (Ngoma healing) in addition to having cardiovascular benefits (12) dance is also a means by which members of the black community connect to one another and their culture (14). By incorporating culture into the treatment plan, we are connecting to the patient's emotions and creating positive connections to exercise that will increase the likelihood of a patient continuing on the routine post involvement with Oben. Another area of focus in the exercise portion of the program is organized sports. This is largely welcomed particularly by men of color, who gather to play sports like basketball, football, etc.
Anaerobic is a central skill to our exercise program. In particular, we target stretching, yoga, core and weight lifting. Stretching is a core tenet of our exercise program as it is easily accessible and can act as a starting point for exercise if the patient is struggling to connect to an exercise routine. 60 minutes of stretching per week is recommended by the American Heart Association as it helps to open up blood vessels and lower blood pressure. Stretching can be done in lieu of any aerobic or anaerobic exercise routine for time consideration as well as for users who are new to exercise. Core work and weight training done over a period of time can help to lower blood pressure. Weight lifting and core work are popular amongst men of color, thus making it a core component of our exercise program.
Movement is established as an individual skill in our program. Movement is separate from how much a patient exercises, as a patient may have an exercise routine but spend the remainder of the day sedentary, whether at home or at a job. Movement takes into account the amount the person is standing as well as overall movement throughout the day.This is the core principle of NEAT (Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis), which considers motions or activities done throughout the day that are not considered moderate to intense exercise. Each day of this skill we teach the patient creative ways to add movement i.e. standing while they watch tv, dancing, climbing the stairs, vacuuming, washing the dishes, playing catch with a dog, chatting, standing, tapping their foot, cooking, yard work, etc. Overall movement is crucial for opening up blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.
Oben emphasizes exercise as an outlet for stress reduction. One example is the recent increased interest in yoga in recent years especially with an uptick in studios that focus on serving communities of color. These spaces serve as a space for practice in a community setting that feels both safe and benefiting to physical health. Yoga is shown to reduce stress levels by lowering levels of cortisol and adrenaline and has added benefits of being both an anaerobic and a stretching activity– all of which are all shown to lower blood pressure.