Lower Your Blood Pressure

Written by Steve Brodie on October 7th, 2009

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or have been living with the condition for some time, then you will understand what it is like to live in the shadow of this silent killer. Suffering from hypertension is no small thing ” high blood pressure is a leading cause of chronic renal failure, heart attack and stroke.

The worst thing you can do if you have high blood pressure is to continue on just as normal and hope for the best, its a sure-fired way to shorten your lifespan drastically. Popping a pill and continuing as ever is another bad option because you will be just suppressing a symptom without dealing with the cause. The first thing that should be done when looking at how to lower blood pressure is a thorough assessment of your lifestyle and to change those aspects that are leading you to hypertension.

The extent to which high blood pressure can be cured and prevented depend on a number of factors, namely the current blood pressure, alterations in organs such as the kidney and heart, the risk of cardiovascular disease and the age of the person. Non-pharmaceutical and lifestyle options should always be considered first before drugs are administered unless there is a very severe case of hypertension present.

Changes in lifestyle are the beginning of managing hypertension and pre-hypertension. The best chance for dealing with the disorder lies in lifestyle changes because hypertension is usually a symptom of bad lifestyle choices. Usually blood pressure medication is taken for life, so hypertensive patients should explore all natural and lifestyle options before any medications are used.

The first thing to deal with is weight. Weight reduction is a key issue in blood pressure and coupled with regular light exercise like walking is the first step to treating hypertension. Your blood flow will be improved by regular exercise and it will also reduce your resting heart rate and blood pressure. Low intensity exercise is generally held to be more effective than high intensity exercise when dealing with hypertension.

Reducing your intake of dietary sugar and salt is the next key thing for high blood pressure. Reducing your salt intake is particularly important, and is quite effective at lowering blood pressure. Many of the recommended dietary changes are common sense for a healthy lifestyle ” eating fruit and vegetable rich foods and low fat dairy products. Increasing your daily calcium and potassium intakes also benefit your blood pressure by offsetting the effects of salt in the kidneys which acts to reduce blood pressure here.

Stopping smoking and drinking is also another important factor. Blood pressure increases following alcohol and nicotine consumption, and over use may lead to a more severe hypertensive state. Aside from the obvious health risks associating with cigarettes, blood pressure patients are especially warned to quit because of the increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It is also recommended to stop caffeine intake, especially coffee, as it will increase blood pressure, though it does not produce hypertension, it can aggravate existing conditions.

Stress reduction is another important factor. Stress is known to cause an increase in blood pressure, so practicing breathing techniques and relaxation therapy like meditation can be very helpful in ameliorating high blood pressure. Recognising and reducing environmental stress agents such as high noise levels and over-lit areas in your home are also important for dealing with high blood pressure.

Medication should be the last resort. You can beat hypertension naturally and stay in control of the disorder. Saying goodbye to hypertension for good is not a dream ” there are many natural remedies and cures which when coupled with the lifestyle changes above can do the trick.

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