How To Treat High Or Low Blood Pressure

Hypertension Natural Remedies – Control High Blood Pressure Naturally

Our heart pumps oxygenated blood in to blood vessels called arteries which carry the pure blood to all parts of our body. When blood pushes against the arterial walls while traveling, a pressure is generated, called blood pressure. High BP may be classified in to primary hypertension and secondary hypertension. Primary hypertension occurs due to no specific cause. Secondary hypertension occurs due to some underlying disease.

Causes of High BP

1. Overweight
2. Aging
3. Genetic grounds
4. Alcohol abuse
5. Sodium or salt sensitivity
6. Smoking
7. Caffeine intake
8. Emotional stress
9. Medications like contraceptive pills, diet pills, steroids etc.
10. Kidney disease
11. Adrenal gland disease 12. Narrowing of arteries.

Symptoms of High BP

1. Headaches
2.

Dizziness
3. Nose bleeding
4. Fatigue
5. Blurred vision
6. Sleepiness
7. Shortness of breath
8. Restlessness
9. Flushed face
10. Impaired memory

Remedies for Controlling High BP Naturally

1. One should stop smoking completely. Smoking damages blood vessels and hardens the arteries. A person who smokes is more prone to cardiovascular diseases and arteriosclerosis. In other words, high blood pressure worsens with smoking.

2. One should try to reduce weight. Most obese people have high blood pressure. Obesity can be controlled by cutting down on daily calorie consumption, avoiding chocolates and fatty junk food, doing calorie burning free hand exercises daily.

3. Reduction in salt intake can reduce blood pressure. One has to carefully read food labels and select food products with low sodium content. It is advisable not to consume more than 2000 milligrams of salt or one teaspoon salt per day.

4. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be included in diet. Meat consumption is to be reduced. Food rich in cholesterol and saturated fats should be strictly avoided. Cholesterol also leads to arteriosclerosis. Often high BP patients are asked to take potassium-rich food items, for potassium regulates pressure effectively. Food items like watermelons, bananas, oranges, potato, spinach etc contain high amounts of potassium.

5. Caffeine causes rise in BP, and thus it has to be checked. Coffee, tea, sodas that are rich in caffeine should be taken only in modest amounts.

6. Lowering stress can lower blood pressure. Practicing yoga, breathing exercises, extra-curricular activities, listening to music can reduce stress and allow one to be happy in life.

7. Exercises are essential for those with high blood pressure. 30 minutes of work-out daily is very necessary. Aerobic exercises, brisk walks and jogging can be done

8. Alcohol consumption should strictly be cut down.

9. Drinking plenty of water improves blood circulation to a large extent. One should drink good quantity of water to allow smooth flow of blood through blood vessels. This lowers BP.

10. Herbal supplement Stresx capsule is also very beneficial in lowering high BP and maintaining healthy blood pressure.

Diabetes and Blood Pressure

Article by John Ngijseh

Did you know that controlling your blood pressure may be more important then controlling your blood sugar? This is because persistently high blood pressure could increase your chances of heart attack and stroke. To make matters worse, diabetics already have a greater risk of heart disease or stroke just because they are diabetic. So any diabetic with high blood pressure is in the high risk bracket. Controlling your blood pressure is one of major ways to help reduce this risk especially if you are diabetic.

What should my blood pressure be?

There have been a lot of studies and research into the ideal blood pressure for diabetics and in truth there isn’t one ideal answer. The experts, National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE), recommend that BP for Type 2 diabetics should be under 140/80 mmHg, and for Type 1 diabetics should be under 135/85. Your physician may well have a lower or different target for you and aim to follow what your physician recommends.

What to use to measure blood pressure (BP)?

The most convenient way to check BP would be to use an automatic “arm” blood pressure monitor. The other type of blood pressure monitors are wrist monitors. However, blood pressure readings from arm monitors tend to be more reliable then wrist. We would recommend you use a BHS (British Hypertension Society) validated blood pressure monitor. These monitors have an official stamp of approval which meet the BHS’s stringent validation requirements. Like most products be careful of “cheap” monitors which may not be reliable and can brake down very easily. From our own experience we have found the Omron brand to be a very reliable.

How can I lower my blood pressure?

There are steps that you can take to help reduce your blood pressure. These include

* Reduce dietary salt intake to less than 6g of salt per day (the less the better).

* Avoid too much coffee (>5 cups)

* Avoid stress (this is easier said then done but stress can play a major role in high bp)

* Try relaxation therapies (e.g. stress management, meditation, etc.) can reduce BP

* If you smoke, stop. This will make a huge benefit to your heart disease risk

* Exercise, ideally aerobic exercise for 30-60 minutes, three to five times each week. (Check with your doctor that you can do this)

* Limit alcohol consumption

If your blood pressure is still high after making these lifestyle changes then your doctor may decide to prescribe you antihypertensive medicines which lower blood pressure.

It is important to monitor your blood pressure and know what your blood pressure is. If it is persistently above the target ranges described then get it checked by your doctor. Knowing your blood pressure allows you to take control and take action.

We hope you have found this article useful. In this article we have talked about dietary changes that can help your blood pressure. In the diabetes and food article we discuss the role of food in controlling diabetes. Have a read of this article to learn more.

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