High blood pressure (or hypertension) is a reading of blood pressure above 140/90 mmHg. A high blood pressure can put you at risk of some serious health conditions, such as stroke and heart disease.
About high blood pressure
Long-standing high blood pressure can increase the probability of developing cardiovascular disease. Further complications of high blood pressure are:
- Poor circulation
- Damage to the heart muscle
- Damage to the tissue
- Risk of stroke
- Risk of heart attack
If you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may be worried about taking medication to bring your blood pressure down.
Particular lifestyle plays are playing a significant role in the treatment of high blood pressure. If you lead a healthy lifestyle, you will successfully control your blood pressure, and you will defiantly avoid or reduce the necessity of medication.
How to Lower High Blood Pressure?
Your Health Tubers made a list for you, from 7 most effective experts’ recommendations that will help you lower your blood pressure.
Here they are:
- Lead Healthy Diet and Lose Extra Pounds (if needed)
Having an eating healthy plan, better known as Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (or DASH) that is rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, skimps, and whole grains, will help you control the levels of cholesterol and lower your blood pressure. Even a small decrease of sodium in your food can reduce blood pressure as well.
As we already know, our weight has a huge impact on the blood pressure. So, it is really important to lose weight (if needed), because weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes that you can do to lower and control blood pressure.
- Exercise Regularly
Exercise is an amazing habit that can help you reduce the number of the blood pressure.
All you need to do is to find the right exercise program for you. For that reason, if you are a beginner you need to contact your doctor first and get more information about which exercises are good for your health.
Exercises that are usually recommendable for high blood pressure are doing yard work, walking, swimming, jogging, biking, and aerobic.
- Reduce Stress
Stress is a great contributor to high blood pressure. Chronic, as well as occasional stress, can also contribute to high blood pressure, especially if you react to stress by consuming unhealthy food, alcohol and smoking.
You must think positive and really try to stay calm in stressful situations, because your health is the most important thing in your life. Furthermore, if you are healthy you can do anything to make things better in your life.
- Quit Caffeine
Caffeine can certainly raise blood pressure. However, there is very little or even no strong effects on blood pressure in coffee drinkers.
Scientists still debate the effects of caffeine and blood pressure, and there are many different opinions on that subject.
However, most of them agree that when you are under stress caffeine can just exaggerate the effect and increase your blood pressure.
If case you have a high blood pressure, you need to talk to your personal doctor about the effects of caffeine on your blood pressure.
- Allow Yourself the Luxury of Dark chocolate
Dark chocolate has a strong cacao taste and contains flavanols, which make blood vessels much more elastic.
Studies have shown that people who eat dark chocolate every day don’t have a high blood pressure.
Consume ½ ounce of dark chocolate a day. The chocolate should contain no less than 70% cocoa.
- Relaxing music
The psychological state of a person can have a huge influence on high blood pressure. Instead of medication, put yourself a ready nice relaxing music, as classical, lounge, chill out, or smooth jazz music. According to studies from University of Florence (Italy), these tunes can truly help you relax and control your blood pressure.
- Meditative practices
Meditative practices are based on slow and deep breathing, which can help you decrease the stress hormones that elevate renin (a kidney enzyme) who raises the blood pressure. Try some meditative practices in your life, such as yoga, tai chi, or qigong, to control your blood pressure. At least, you can just take some time, about 5 minutes every morning and evening to inhale deeply and exhale to release your tension.
Conclusion
Leading a healthy lifestyle can certainly help you to control your blood pressure. Maintaining a healthy diet, reducing sodium, doing cardiovascular exercises, and relaxing, for about 30 minutes, 3-4 times a week, are the most important ways to prevent hypertension.