Managing High Blood Pressure - Naturally

High blood pressure is a problem for many people. As discussed in Monday's post, it can lead to a variety of other dangerous health concerns like stroke and heart disease. Luckily, blood pressure is one of those things that it's relatively easy to control by natural means, without resorting to potentially dangerous drugs. To keep yourself on the right side of health, today I'll share a few tips to help you lower your blood pressure naturally. (Please Note: This blog is for educational purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult an experienced health care provider if you have high blood pressure or another medical condition.)

Aneroid sphygmomanometer with stethoscope, used for auscultatory blood pressure measurement. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

High blood pressure can be a problem for both young and old alike. When blood vessels are narrowed by cholesterol plaques, it increases the pressure on the walls of the vessels to push blood through. This can lead to a dislodging of the plaque. That can cause strokes.

Unhealthy eating habits can also raise blood pressure. Eating foods high in sodium and other preservatives can put a lot of pressure on the heart to pump blood to the rest of the body.

Here are some ways to go about lowering blood pressure naturally. Medicine is a useful resource but making lifestyle changes will last for a lifetime - without subjecting your body to the side effects of chemicals or surgery.

Lowering Blood Pressure Naturally

* Exercise – Exercise has a lot of useful benefits - especially when it comes to blood pressure. It relieves stress and increases oxygenation. Increased cardiovascular health can lower your blood pressure. Avoid exercising right before bedtime, though, or you may have a problem getting to sleep.

A glass of red wine. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Drink alcohol in moderation – If you don’t already drink, don’t start. But, if you like a glass of wine, try red wine. It is helpful for heart health, and can even help to lower blood pressure. For women, one drink a day has been shown to be helpful, and men should limit their intake to 2 (4-oz.) glasses per day.

* Reduce caffeine intake – There is caffeine in coffee, tea and soft drinks. Caffeine can increase blood pressure by narrowing the vessels. If you already have issues with high blood pressure, adding caffeine can raise it even higher. Those with high blood pressure should avoid caffeine altogether if possible, or limit it to no more than 1 cup of coffee per day at maximum.

* Learn to relax – Stress can be a contributing factor to blood pressure issues. Learn to reduce your stress levels. Try listening to soft music or deep breathing and meditation techniques. A good warm bath can also help drain away stress from your day. Finding ways to cope with stress can help you control not only blood pressure but also other health concerns.

* Cut the salt – Sodium can raise blood pressure if you are sensitive to salt. Don’t just look for salt in the shaker but also in your other food items in the pantry. Processed foods contain a lot of salt as preservatives. This includes frozen "healthy" frozen meals. The average person should consume no more than 2-3 teaspoons of salt per day.  Also balancing sodium with potassium can help (see next point).

* Eat potassium – Sodium and potassium are two elements that work together in the body. The levels are balanced to keep your electrolytes in check. Eating more potassium can counteract too much sodium. Try bananas, cantaloupe, potatoes, beans and raisins. Keeping potassium in balance with your sodium can help mitigate its effects on your body, so eating a potassium/sodium mixture such as Salt Balance in place of regular table salt can be helpful.

If you are having problems with high blood pressure, these simple tips are easy lifestyle changes that you can make to lower blood pressure naturally - you won't spend an arm and a leg on any of these tips, and they are all safe and work naturally with your body to help it regain a healthy balance.

For more healthy tips on lowering blood pressure naturally, be sure to check out Friday's book reviews!

What You Should Know When It Comes To High Blood Pressure

These days, with the sedentary lifestyles of most Americans, coupled with the SAD (Standard American Diet), unfortunately you don’t have to be of advanced age to suffer from conditions people usually associate with that age group. One such condition is high blood pressure. Here is a basic overview of this dangerous condition, and why you should be aware of your blood pressure and measures you can take to keep it in a healthy range.

Blood pressure check (Photo credit: Army Medicine)

What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood is pumped through the body via the heart. The blood carries oxygen from the lungs to all of the cells and organs along the circuitous route of the arterial vascular system. Deoxygenated blood is carried via the venous system back to the lungs where it picks up more oxygen.

To move that blood, there is a certain amount of pressure that needs to be created within the vessel. Normally an acceptable blood pressure reflects two numbers: systolic (upper number), the pressure exerted when the heart is pumping blood and diastolic (lower number), the pressure exerted when the heart is at rest. Ideally blood pressure should be in the range of 140/90.

Higher numbers indicate that something is causing the pressure needed to move a volume of blood to increase. It could be due to a narrowing of the vessels (caused by high cholesterol or plaque build-up), stress, obesity, high salt intake or genetics. This condition is known as high blood pressure, or hypertension.

The Problems of High Blood Pressure
No matter how you acquired it, high blood pressure poses a problem for the rest of your body. Here are just a few of the conditions that can arise as a result.

Main complications of persistent high blood pressure. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Artery damage – Increased stress on the arterial walls can result in the tissue being damaged. When any tissue is damaged, an inflammatory response occurs. The walls can thicken and stiffen, leading to a smaller lumen (opening) and a higher blood pressure. If you also have a problem with bad cholesterol plaques, the increased pressure could dislodge them, turning them into emboli (things that block the blood flow).

* Heart conditions – The heart has to work harder to push that same volume of blood when there is a problem with your blood pressure. As a result the heart can enlarge since it is a muscle. It can also fail, or experience an infarction in a portion of the muscle that can lead to a heart attack.

* Stroke – The cholesterol plaques that break off as a result of high blood pressure can travel along in the vascular system until they get stuck in a smaller vessel. This often happens in the lungs or the brain. Both can result in death. In the brain it is called a stroke.

Beyond the blockage, the brain tissue is not receiving oxygenated blood. Since the brain needs 20 percent more oxygen than the rest of the body, this can lead to decreased functioning like speech impairment, numbness or paralysis on one side of the body and other problems.

Are you facing a diagnosis of high blood pressure? Work to reduce it to normal levels and avoid the dangers it can pose. There are many things you can do to reduce your blood pressure to healthy levels - without resorting to dangerous drugs or surgery. Be sure to check back Wednesday for some easy and natural ways to keep your blood pressure within a healthy range.

* Please Note: This blog is for educational purposes only, and should not be taken as medical advice. Please consult an experienced health care provider if you have high blood pressure or another medical condition.

Super Foods for A Long Healthy Life

Recent research shows that specific chemicals in foods -- such as sulforaphane, a phytochemical in broccoli -- work with your genes to ratchet up your body's natural defense systems, helping to inactivate toxins and free radicals before they can do the damage that leads to cancer, cardiovascular disease, and even premature aging.

And the hope for the future is to be able to tell someone what diseases or maladies they are might be genetically predisposed to early on, so their diets can be focused accordingly. We’ll know which foods to add, and which ones to avoid, and be able to take a proactive role in preventing or deterring a genetic disease. In the meantime, many foods have been determined to pack a punch to the aging process.

Image via WikipediaLycopene, the pigment that makes tomatoes red, also appears to reduce risk for cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and macular degeneration. It’s also been associated in greater self-sufficiency in elderly adults. While fresh tomatoes have a good hit of lycopene, the most absorbable forms are found in cooked tomato products, such as spaghetti sauce and soup and prepared salsas. Pink grapefruit, guava, red bell peppers, and watermelon are also rich in lycopene.

Eating at least two cups of orange vegetables like sweet potatoes, squash and carrots boosts intake of beta-carotene, which converts to vitamin A, essential for healthy skin and eyes, and which may also reduce the risk of some cancers, cardiovascular disease, and osteoporosis. Lutein and lycopene, also found in orange produce, also help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and may protect skin from sun damage and even reduce wrinkling as well. Mangoes and cantaloupes are also beta-carotene endowed (and yummy!).

Image via WikipediaAnd if you don’t do ANYTHING else to change your diet, eat your dark leafy greens. They have been showed to significantly reduce your risk for heart disease and may also save your eyesight. Dietary guidelines advise at least three cups of greens a week. Frozen or bagged are almost as good as fresh, but of course fresh is always best, so visit your farmer's market regularly, or join a local CSA, which often feature a lot of greens.

Don’t forget the mental aging process either. The heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids have also recently been shown to keep your brain sharp. A recent study found that a higher intake of fatty fish significantly reduced mental decline. If fresh fish isn't an option, go for canned tuna, salmon, and sardines.

These foods are not only tasty, they can even help you live a longer and healthier life. Most of them are also pretty easy to find in most areas, so add a few into your diet today, and reap the benefits!

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