Ways To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally & Healthily.
I started to write this article after a visit to my doctor for my annual checkup, he put his blood pressure machine on me and said “you have an elevated blood pressure and we need to put you on medication”. He also said that once on this medication I could not stop taking it ( i.e. for the rest of my life!!). Well that was not going to happen without some research.
So what is Blood Pressure?
Firstly we need to understand what Blood Pressure is? Blood pressure readings have two numbers, for example 140/90mmHg. The top number is your systolic blood pressure. (The highest pressure when your heart beats and pushes the blood round your body.) The bottom one is your diastolic blood pressure. (The blood pressure when your heart is at rest.)
So what is considered a normal blood pressure range in Australia?
According to the Heart Foundation of Australia, as a general guide: blood pressure below 120/80 mmHg can be classified as ‘optimal’; blood pressure between 120/80 and 129/84 mmHg is ‘normal’; and. blood pressure between 130/85 and 139/89 mmHg is classified as ‘high-normal’ (anything over that is dangerous).
Misconceptions About High Blood Pressure
First Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Isn’t a Big Deal
Second Misconception Is That High Blood Pressure Can’t Be Prevented
Third Misconception About High Blood Pressure: It’s OK As Long As One Number Is Normal
Fourth Misconception About High Blood Pressure Is About Treatment
Fifth Misconception About High Blood Pressure: Treatment Doesn’t Work
If you concerned or feel you have high blood pressure or even someone you may know, your concern may well be well-founded – Consult your Doctor immediately and get it checked. High blood pressure (a.k.a. hypertension), If left untreated can lead to a whole range of ill-health problems, like heart disease, heart attack or even a stroke. Knowing more about high blood pressure can help prevent this condition and avoid damaging your health, or the health of someone you care about. Start by reading what’s true about this condition and what’s just a myth.
My first mistake was thinking that High Blood Pressure is not a Big Deal.
High Blood Pressure IS a Huge Deal
Early on, you may not notice symptoms of high blood pressure, so you may not be too concerned. However, in the long run high blood pressure can kill you. Normally, your heart beats regularly, pumping blood through the vessels all over your body. As the blood is pushed by the heartbeat, the blood in turn pushes against the sides of your blood vessels. Blood vessels are flexible and can widen or constrict as needed to keep blood flowing well. For a variety of reasons, your blood may begin to push too hard against the blood vessels. This is high blood pressure, which can cause your arteries to become stiff over time. This is how problems begin.
High blood pressure can lead to damage of your blood vessels, heart, kidneys, and other organs in your body. Heart disease and stroke are both caused by high blood pressure, this is one of the leading causes of death in most countries.
The scary thing about high blood pressure is that you may have it without even knowing it. That’s why doctors often call high blood pressure the “silent killer.” Health care professionals agree: High blood pressure is a big deal but there are ways to lower blood pressure naturally, healthily and without medication.
Don’t Panic, there are ways to lower Blood Pressure without medication.
The good news is that there are a number of ways to lower blood pressure naturally and healthily without medication.
Alcohol – Drink less alcohol
We all love a few drinks after a long day but drinking too much alcohol can play its role in raising blood pressure over time, having more than three drinks in one sitting will temporarily increases your blood pressure, but repeated binge drinking can lead to long-term increases. The good news is that you can minimize the risk.
Heavy drinkers who reduce their alcohol intake to moderate levels can lower their systolic blood pressure (the top number in the blood pressure reading) by up to 2 to 4 mm Hg (millimeters of mercury) and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in the blood pressure reading) by as much as 1 to 2 mm Hg.
There is some research that shows that drinking alcohol in moderation (up to two drinks a day for men, one for women) can be good for you and makes for a healthier heart and lifestyle, i.e. it relaxes the body and reduces stress.
Drinking too much of alcohol can increase the blood pressure. Research has actually shown that the intake of alcohol is linked to 16% of high blood pressure cases around the world.
Berries – Eat berries
Research has shown that Blueberries may help lower blood pressure in patients with prehypertension and hypertension. A study showed that eating one-cup serving of blueberries daily may lower blood pressure and possibly even delay the progression of hypertension, thereby reducing the risk of coronary heart disease.
When it comes to the prevention of high blood pressure, nothing beats the efficiency of consuming potassium rich food. Potassium assists the body to get rid of excess sodium and also ease the pressure on your blood vessels. Consuming food such as vegetables, most especially the sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes and the leafy greens, fruits, dairy products, tuna and salmon, nuts and seed and beans are all rich in potassium.
Caffeine- Cut back on caffeine
Now this is confusing, some say, Caffeine can cause a short term increase in blood pressure; they say caffeine only raises blood pressure for a few hours, it seems that it does not appear to have any lasting harm to the blood vessels. Some researchers believe that caffeine could block a hormone that helps keep your arteries widened and “cause a short, but dramatic increase in your blood pressure”.
The decaffeinated espresso test apparently proved the point. Decaffeinated coffee did not raise blood caffeine levels, but it boosted the average systolic blood pressure of the non coffee drinkers by 12 mm Hg, virtually as much as the high-test caffeinated brew.
So, caffeine appears to cause some people to have a raise blood pressure but others experienced a more longer term raise in their blood pressure. For me I will continue to have the odd cup of coffee until the jury is out.
Calcium – Eat calcium-rich foods
My research shows that Calcium helps blood pressure by keep the smooth muscles that line your blood vessels in good condition. Some research reveals if you get enough calcium in your diet you could have lower rates of high blood pressure. In addition, getting enough calcium in your diet can also help protect your bones against osteoporosis. (but that’s a topic for another article).
How Much Calcium Do I Need? We are told that the best way to get enough calcium is by eating calcium-rich foods (go figure?). If like me, you are older than 50, you should aim for a daily calcium intake to 1,200 mg and include calcium-rich foods in your meals: beans, broccoli, calcium-fortified food products, some brands of orange juice (watch that sugar intake!).
low-fat or nonfat dairy products, such as low-fat or nontfat milk, yogurt, and cheese are also recommended as are lactose-free dairy products, and certain leafy greens, such as kale and bok choy, however if you are lactose intolerant or something similar, you may wish to alter your meal plan accordingly.
Chocolate – Eat dark chocolate or cocoa
Great at last something nice is good for you, It appears that dark chocolate has lots of nutrients that can affect your health in a positive way. Dark chocolate is made from the seed of the cocoa tree and is one of the best sources of antioxidants.
The down side is that is should be consumed in moderation. A 100-gram bar of dark chocolate with 70–85% cocoa contains:
11 grams of fiber
67% of the RDI for iron
58% of the RDI for magnesium
89% of the RDI for copper
98% of the RDI for manganese
It also has plenty of potassium, phosphorus, zinc and selenium.
Of course, 100 grams is a lot of chocolate and despite how nice it is, it is not something you should be consuming every day as all these nutrients also come with 600 calories and moderate amounts of that big no no sugar. The fatty acids in cocoa and dark chocolate are excellent. These fats are mostly saturated and monounsaturated, with only a small amount of polyunsaturated fat.
Be sure to get the quality dark chocolate as this is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper, manganese and a few other essential minerals.
Exercise – Walk and exercise regularly
Light exercises such as walking is one of the best remedies aimed at relieving high blood pressure. This tends to help the heart to be stronger and more efficient at pumping blood round the body and thus lowers the pressures in the arteries which make lead to a high blood pressure episode.
Magnesium – Eat foods rich in magnesium
.
.
.
.
Meditation – Try meditation or deep breathing
.
.
.
.
Potassium – Eat more potassium-rich foods
.
.
.
.
.
Smoking – Quit smoking
.
.
.
.
.
Sodium – Reduce your sodium intake
The intake of table salt (Sodium Chloride) is relatively high in the world and this has been attributed to the increased intake of processed or already prepared food which come with a need to be preserved for a long period of time. In several studies carried out by a group of researchers, it was observed that salt intake is one of the major causes of high blood pressure and other heart related conditions such as stroke.
Stress – Learn to manage stress
Stress is one of the major drivers of high blood pressure. It keeps the body on constant fight or flight mode which has a negative effect on the blood pressure. Stress affects your body’s ability to fight against infections and also eat right thus causing high blood pressure. To effectively manage or reduce your stress, we suggest you listen to light music and work less.
Sugar – Cut added sugar and refined carbs
.
.
.
.
.
Supplements – Take natural supplements
.
.
.
.
.
Weight – Lose weight
.
.
.
.
.
Bottom line
Blood pressure could be lethal but with proper management, its effect can be controlled or relieved.
.
.
.
.
Don’t let your high blood pressure problem continue. Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death today. It’s called the silent killer for a reason and it kills millions of people every year.
I have been researching for information that may assist me in reducing my blood pressure and I found this interesting Ebook solution. To see if it suits you CLICK HERE. Read and listen to what Virginia Sturm has to say about her husband’s blood pressure. If you buy her E-book you also get the Audio Edition of the E-Book at no additional cost. Getting this offer means that you can read and listen to the Ebook anyplace, anytime. It is an instantly downloadable MP3 file along with the PDF of the E-Book. She does charge $27.00 but who knows, it may just save your life.
Coffee is a Vitamin Not A Drug. (just kidding but it does taste good).
Thanks for the coffee
If you like what you have read, feel free to “Buy us a coffee – currently set at $5.00” This coffee will sustain us for a short while and motivate us to continue giving our readers quality articles.
The contents of this site are for informational purposes only, and are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider regarding a medical condition, suspected medical condition, and before starting any diet, exercise or supplementation program, or before taking or stopping any medication. Reliance on any information provided by this site and others appearing on the site is solely at your own risk. The site and its contents are provided on an “as is” basis.
healthwatchers.com.au is a website registered to Procor Australia Pty Ltd. Adverts and products displayed on this website do not constitute an endorsement, approval or review of these products or any claim, statement or opinion used in the promotion of any products. You can contact us here or by email at sales@procoraustralia.com or mail to P O Box 3411 Robina Town Centre, Qld 4211.