Lowering Your Blood Pressure

Posts Tagged ‘high blood pressure remedies’

It appears that doctors everywhere are all too quick to prescribe drugs rather than to suggest natural ways of lowering high blood pressure (hypertension). Most of these drugs can have undesirable side-effects, so it is wise to look for natural methods.

It has been shown that a healthy diet containing high levels of potassium, magnesium and calcium can lower and help control high blood pressure. Just as important, a healthy diet should include essential fatty acids, but as little as possible saturated fats, salt and sugar. Below is just a short list of foods good for high blood pressure.

SPINACH

Spinach is rich in magnesium and helps prevent heart disease. It also contains folate which protects the body from homocysteine, an excessive amount of which can cause heart attacks and strokes. Cook for as little time as possible. Better still, eat raw in salads.

SUNFLOWER SEEDS

Sunflower seeds are rich in potassium, magnesium and phytosterols which can aid in the reduction of your cholesterol level. (High levels of cholesterol can cause a constriction of the arteries and blood vessels which raises blood pressure).

BANANAS

Bananas are rich in potassium and have a high fiber content. Try to eat at least two bananas per day.

SOME FATS ARE GOOD!

Unsaturated fats can help lower cholesterol and provide essential fatty acid that the body needs. Fish contain omega-3 which prevents heart disease. Try eating oily fish such as trout, salmon and mackerel. It will be a lot healthier for you if you grill, bake or steam the fish. Do not add salt when cooking. Sardines, too, are a good choice. Fresh fish are best, but if you must buy tinned fish check the label to make sure the salt content is low.

GARLIC

Garlic helps thin the blood and prevents blood vessels clogging, so lowering blood pressure. Try chewing a clove or two of garlic each day. If you don’t want to lose all your friends you may prefer to take it in the form of a supplement.

TOMATOES

Tomatoes are rich in calcium and potassium, and contain vitamins A, C and E. Tomatoes also contain lycopene which is a powerful antioxidant that is reputed to lower the risk of heart disease. The antioxidants found in tomatoes can prevent LDL cholesterol from oxidizing and adhering to the blood vessel walls, which would raise blood pressure. Drinking tomato juice is a great way to enjoy tomatoes. If you own a juicer, make your own. If you have to buy tomato juice make sure it’s a pure juice with no added salt or sugar.

BROCCOLI

Broccoli is full of nutrition. Not only is it high in potassium but it contains chromium that helps regulate blood sugar and insulin. Don’t over cook it. Place it in a pan with just enough water to cover it, that way it will retain more nutrients. Better still, steam it. When I’m preparing broccoli I always cut off a few florets and eat them raw. Try it, they’re delicious!

HAWTHORN

Hawthorn dilates the arteries and improves the flow of blood, so lowering blood pressure. Use a mixture of leaves and flowers to make a tea. Place two teaspoonfuls in a cup and add boiling water. Leave to infuse for around twenty minutes before straining. Drink two or three cups of the elixir per day.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is known as the “silent Killer”, and the number one cause of premature death in the western world. One in three adults have high blood pressure, many adults have it without knowing as it rarely displays any symptoms. High blood pressure can cause a heart attack, stroke and kidney failure, so it really is vital to get your blood pressure checked regularly. If you do have high blood pressure don’t panic as there are plenty of ways to quickly lower blood pressure.

Take Regular Exercise

If you are able, start taking some exercise today. Regular exercise makes the blood vessels more flexible and the heart stronger so it is able to pump blood around the body more efficiently. It also makes it easier to achieve a healthier weight if you are overweight.

Don’t overdo it! Walking is a great way to start your exercise regime. Try to do thirty minutes per day, five days a week. You can start off by doing three ten-minute sessions, or two fifteen-minute sessions, and build up gradually as your stamina improves. You should walk at a brisk pace so that you feel quite warm and slightly out of breath.

If you blood pressure is between 140/90 and 179/99 then it should be safe to start taking some exercise. If your blood pressure is higher than 180/100 then your doctor may prescribe medication to lower your blood pressure before you begin to exercise.

The sort of exercise that is good for your blood pressure is: cycling, dancing, swimming, tennis, jogging, walking.The sort of exercise that is not good for your blood pressure is: weight lifting, squash, sprinting.

Drink Plenty Of Water

Drinking water at regular intervals throughout the the day prevents the body becoming dehydrated. This is especially important when taking exercise. When the body is low on water the brain reacts by constricting the veins and arteries, so causing an increase in blood pressure. Remember: drink plenty of water, not alcohol, coffee, or soft drinks that contain sugar as these drinks actually cause dehydration.

Cut Down On The Salt (Sodium Chloride)

Research carried out over a period of fifteen years and involving over three-thousand people who were on the verge of developing high blood pressure, showed that reducing their salt intake from about ten grams per day to seven grams per day cut their risk of developing a stroke or heart disease in the next ten to fifteen years by between twenty-five and thirty per cent, and they had a twenty per cent lower risk of dying prematurely than those who ate ten grams or more salt per day.

Nearly everyone eats too much salt. Try to cut down on how much salt you eat to less than six grams per day. At first your food may taste bland, but as your taste buds adjust to a low-salt diet you’ll soon get used to it. If you really can’t do without it try a low-sodium substitute.

One in three adults in the western world has high blood pressure (hypertension), but because there are rarely any symptoms associated with high blood pressure many of these people are unaware they have the condition. High blood pressure is known as  the “silent killer” for this very reason, and if left unchecked it can lead to a heart attack, stroke and kidney failure. The good news is there are natural ways to lower blood pressure.

Eat Less Salt

Nearly everyone eats too much salt (sodium chloride). Cut down on the amount of salt you eat to less than six grams per day. Put less or no salt on your food or when cooking your food. You’ll be surprised how quickly your taste buds will adjust to a low- or no-salt diet. If you really can’t do without it try a low-sodium substitute.In fact, most of the salt we consume (about eighty per cent) comes in the form of ready-prepared food. Bread, breakfast cereals, biscuits, ready-meals, smoked meats and fish, soups, ketchups, pickles and sauces are all usually high in salt, so you must check the label. If the label doesn’t state the salt content then look for sodium, which is one of the chemicals in salt. One gram of sodium is equivalent to 2.5 grams of salt.If the label says that the contents has 0.25 grams (or less) of salt per 100 grams, then it is safe to eat as much as you like. If the contents contains between 0.25 and 1.25 grams per 100 grams then you can eat small amounts now and then. If the contents has more than 1.25 grams per 100 grams then avoid eating it.

Eat Plenty Of Vegetables

Fruit and vegetables are full of fibre, minerals and vitamins essential for keeping the body healthy. They contain potassium which counteracts the effect of salt. Try to eat at least five portions (a portion is about 80 grams) of different fruits and vegetables per day. If you buy tinned, frozen or dried produce check the label for added salt or sugar. Don’t add salt to vegetables, or sugar to fruit, during cooking or at the table. Steam or bake vegetables to keep their minerals and vitamins as intact as possible, and try not to over-cook them. If you do boil them use as little water as possible.

Drink Plenty Of Water

Drinking water at regular intervals throughout the the day prevents the body becoming dehydrated. When the body is low on water the brain reacts by constricting the veins and arteries, so causing an increase in blood pressure. Remember: drink plenty of water, not alcohol, coffee, or soft drinks that contain sugar as these drinks actually cause dehydration.

Many experts consider high blood pressure (hypertension) more dangerous than high cholesterol. It’s been known as the Silent Killer because high blood pressure goes undetected until diagnosed usually due to another ailment constituting a visit to your doctor. If not found in time and if left untreated it can cause heart failures, stroke, kidney failure and so much more.

But from the words of Hippocrates to Tomas Edison to thousand of medical experts today, healing should being with good nutrition, then natural supplements. If these fail to work, then prescription drugs have a definite role. But unfortunately, in today’s society, the medical system begins with drugs; this is backwards for mild or moderate hypertension (pre-hypertension).

Click here for valuable high blood pressure remedies.

Lay the groundwork now for your dietary plan because what you feed your body is what affects your blood pressure. The more wrong foods you give it, the higher your blood pressure will go. You can lower your blood pressure with natural remedies if you are committed and disciplined enough to look after your body well enough so that it can look after itself.

Increase your potassium and decrease your sodium intake.  The body must today work overtime to get rid of the excess sodium and retain potassium, which the body often does so, unfortunately by raising blood pressure! Vegetables are a great source of potassium and include low volumes of sodium (salt).  Eat up to five vegetable a day.  A few rich in potassium vegetables include: spinach, lettuce, squash, potatoes, broccoli and carrots. A great tip – is having a salad with your dinner along with your normal meat and vegetable dish.  In contrast, many ready-made dinners are high in sodium and low in potassium. Therefore prepare and eat fresh food that you can control what goes it and how much.

Start each morning by eating a cereal that more potassium than sodium and use low-fat or skimmed milk.

If you don’t read the ingredients of the foods you buy – now is the time to do it. If the food the in the don’t clearly state what the levels of potassium and sodium are, then don’t buy it.  Do not use any salt on your food, this will be hard at first, but in time you will get used to it and your blood pressure will love you for it. If you are serious about lowering your high blood pressure then you can do this, use spices and herbs instead of salt, use Tabasco or horseradish instead.

Garlic – learn to love the smell of it. It is a magic herb that does two things for your body – it naturally lowers blood pressure and cholesterol. Eat up to three cloves a day. If you don’t like garlic – then supplements will also work.

Exercise – it doesn’t matter the time of the season, get out and get walking. Fast walking is better because you’re breathing harder and

Magnesium – is a highly recommended high blood pressure remedy and the results are truly amazing. Magnesium is a micronutrient that is found is in body and serves normal muscle and nerve function, steady heartbeat and healthy immune system. Also potassium and magnesium work together in tangent. Unfortunately the prescribed diuretics for treating high blood pressure flushes out magnesium from our bodies. It is recommended that most people get around 400 milligrams of magnesium a day. Excellent sources of foods that contain magnesium are whole grain bread, dark leafy vegetables, soybeans and yoghurt.

There are numerous high blood pressure remedies out that you can try from breathing techniques, to healing music, proper exercising and the right diet – click here for valuable information to a natural, safe, non-drug option to lower high blood pressure.