Sick of health drills? Walk it off, literally - and keep that blood pressure in check while you're at it. Research is backing pedestrians, showing that a three-month commitment to using your own two feet can result in a healthier systolic blood pressure. What’s systolic blood pressure, you ask? It’s the hip way of measuring the pressure in your arteries as your heart throws a beat.

Walking isn’t just a foot fetish. It’s universal, accessible, and ridiculously easy to implement. Indoors or outdoors, your backyard or a treadmill – nowhere is safe from your walking spree. Have a heart – pump up its strength by walking, letting it distribute poor, unassuming blood more capably. With this newfound strength, it flexes on your body's blood vessels and eliminates any room for resistance (literally), which eventually cools off your overall blood pressure.

But wait, there are more perks to being a pedestrian. Walking doesn’t just bully high blood pressure – it goes after a whole host of health foes. Be warned though, several party poopers like being nervous, wolfing down a meal, caffeinated binges, and good old exercise can distort your blood pressure readings.

Hold on to those cuffs; you need to know when to properly squeeze that blood pressure total after your walking routine. Don't fall for falsely inflated figures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), i.e., the health boffins, suggest cooling down for at least half an hour post-exertion before getting your readings.

Feel a bit light-headed right after your walking bout? It's called postexercise hypotension and it's a transient phenomenon. The magic of this temporary drop in systolic blood pressure can stick around for a full day after working out, especially if you’re one of those blessed with higher blood pressure to start with. Make exercise and walking your new norm, and you'll witness a more long-term deflation of your blood pressure.

Accurate blood pressure measurement is an art. Starve yourself (only for 30 minutes, we promise), make sure your bladder isn't on the verge of bursting, and then hit the meter. Still skeptical? Studies tell those interested in blood pressure trivia that a three-month routine of thrice-to-five times per week, ranging from 20 to 40 minutes at a moderate clip, can lower systolic blood pressure.

But let's say you want to push the pedal, or in this case, the pavement. You've got hypertension and want to up the ante of your walking regime. Here’s the fun part; you get to tailor the intensity based on how you measure ‘moderate’. It could be your heart rate, VO2 max (yes, that's the max volume of oxygen you can grasp at one time), or just your good old walking speed.

Just ensure your med schedule is consistent, and you’ve had a wee chat with your healthcare provider before you begin chasing your new fitness goal. Extreme hypertension isn't a joke. If your readings shoot up to 180/120 mm Hg or beyond, take a chilled five-minute timeout and repeat. If your readings still read high, call your health provider without delay. In case of a hypertensive crisis, dial 911.

In the end, certain walks are much harder than a walk in the park. It’s about turning a casual stroll into a calculated stride against high blood pressure and better overall health. Talk to a healthcare provider before you turbocharge your walking regime or commence a fresh one. With all the brouhaha about whether walking can lower blood pressure, shuffle in the direction of common sense – and a healthier, less pressured life.