Maintaining a Healthy Blood Pressure

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High blood pressure or hypertension damages the coronary artery lining and eventually coronary blockages form. As blood pressure goes up, the blood strikes the side of the arterial wall with greater force. This causes some injury to the lining of the artery and the wall starts to thicken. Then the blood flow is restricted and the heart has to work harder.

Blood pressure is measured as systolic over diastolic. Systolic measures the heart at work, or the pumping of blood as the heart contracts. Diastolic measures the pumping of blood while the heart is resting.

A normal measurement is less than 130 systolic and less than 85 diastolic. The ideal is less than 120/80. When your measurement is 140/90 or higher you have high blood pressure or hypertension. Even slight hypertension puts one at risk for a heart attack.

Fortunately, hypertension can be prevented. Finnish researchers found that magnesium and potassium are very powerful blood pressure regulators. A diet, which is high in these two minerals, is very effective in controlling blood pressure. Bananas, milk, yogurt, wheat germ, and strawberries are good sources of these minerals. These minerals are available in supplements but you should check with your doctor before taking the supplements.

A diet high in fruits and veggies is also helpful. Nutritionists recommend eight daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Another recommended food is salsa and a half-cup of salsa is equal to a full serving of vegetables.

Most overweight people tend to have high blood pressure. If you are overweight you can lower you blood pressure three points by losing just ten pounds. Research shows that people who eat a breakfast that is low in fat but high in nutrients can do this. And even if you are not overweight, the low fat high nutrient breakfast will still help keep your blood pressure at optimal levels.

Another important factor in lowering blood pressure is relaxation. Epinephrine and cortisol are two stress hormones that raise blood pressure. Engaging in an activity that relaxes you decreases the levels of these hormones. A sure fire way to do this is to introduce some humor into your life. Read a funny book; watch a comedy sitcom or attend a comedy show. Whatever causes you to laugh will also relax you.

Moderate exercise is also effective in preventing hypertension. You don't have to work up a sweat at your local gym. Engaging in any aerobic activity that you enjoy is just as effective. The easiest one is walking if that is something you enjoy doing. However, when involved in any aerobic activity, you need to perform it for at least thirty minutes to derive the maximum benefit.

Also, remember when doing aerobic exercises you should always be "in oxygen." This means you should not be short of breath at any time you are actively engaged. For example, if you are walking, you should follow a pace at which you can carry on a conversation and not be out of breath. If you don't have a partner to converse with, try singing.

There are many hypertension medications available and if you have severe hypertension, your doctor will certainly prescribe these. However, many of these drugs have side effects, some of which are just beginning to be discovered. It is very much to your advantage if you can maintain your blood pressure at healthy levels through lifestyle changes and avoid the use of prescription drugs.

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How to Control High Blood Pressure - Lower Your Chances For Complications

High blood pressure, sometimes referred to as hypertension is a major health condition that must be treated to deter further complications. Patients who are diagnosed with the cardiovascular disease are often uneducated on how to control high blood pressure. The disease is very common amongst Americans, and, unfortunately, many of them are not aware that they have developed it.

High blood pressure that is not treated properly leads to further medical complications that can be life- threatening. It is extremely imperative that Americans visit a physician regularly to have the blood pressure measurements checked; especially if you are at risk for developing the disease. Most people will not experience illness when they are diagnosed with hypertension. Ideally, while some may experience dizziness or headaches, this disease causes no symptoms.

Physicians generally consider a patient to be hypertensive when the blood pressure levels are consistently high after two (2) or more check- ups. Patients whose blood pressure is in the range of 130-139/85-89 mmHg may be diagnosed with hypertension. At this point, the medical healthcare providers offer a variety of recommendations on how to control high blood pressure.

Implementing healthy lifestyle habits into your daily routine is a sure way to control the progression of the disease. Noted cases have demonstrated that these same healthy habits have prevented the development of the disease.

If these lifestyle modifications alone are not prominently successful with lowering the blood pressure, the physician will also prescribe anti- hypertensive medications. More so, it is possible that the patient must take these medications for the remainder of their lives as controlling elevated blood pressure is a life-long process.

Healthy lifestyle modifications, in addition to anti- hypertensive drugs, are usually most effective for lowering high blood pressure. Learning how to control high blood pressure will ensure that the patient will alleviate the risks for further complicating diseases as well as extend the lifespan. Recommended healthy lifestyle habits include:

Maintaining healthy weight:
Overweight and obesity cause elevated blood pressure levels due to the strain on the heart.

Daily physical activity and exercise:
Physical activity helps reduce the blood pressure measurements and lower the risk of heart disease. It is recommended that people exercise at least 30 min a day, 5 days a week or more.

Healthy eating plan:
Eat a healthy portion of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low- fat dairy foods to control elevate blood pressure.

Decrease sodium intake:
High sodium (salt) intake elevates blood pressure to risky unhealthy levels. Avoid foods prepared with sodium and limit adding salt to food.

Quit smoking and limit alcohol consumption:
Smoking and alcohol cause blood pressure to elevate. If there is no intent to stop completely, it is highly recommended that the consumption is limited.

Natural Ways To Help Lower Your Blood Pressure
More and more people are now looking for natural ways to lower their blood pressure ( hypertension ) because of the side effects of long-term drug care. This article is going to show you some natural ways you can lower your hypertension so you have the chance of getting off of the medication you're taking