http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-to-naturally-lower-your-blood-pressure.html
How to Naturally Lower Your Blood Pressure
Q: My doc says I have high blood pressure and prescribed some medication, but I don’t like how it makes me feel. How can I lower my blood pressure naturally?
A: I often call hypertension the “silent killer.” Elevated blood pressure gradually damages the blood vessels in your heart, brain, kidneys and elsewhere, putting your life at risk even when you don’t feel a thing. It is very important to get your blood pressure under control. For most people that means maintaining a systolic number (the one on top) of less than 140 and a diastolic (the number on the bottom) of less than 90. There are some behavioral changes that can help, but while you are doing this lifestyle overhaul, you should continue to use the medications, monitor your blood pressure with a home monitor, and check in with your doctor frequently to see if you need to change the dosages of your medication. With diligence, it is possible to eliminate the need for medications all together or at least reduce the dosages (and the likelihood of side effects).
Here are the starting points:
• A moderately low-sodium, low-fat diet with a high intake of fruits and vegetables (called the DASH diet). Learn the specifics about the DASH diet here.
• Weight reduction to get your body mass index (BMI) less than 25. Calculate your BMI here.
• It is recommended that hypertension patients who consume alcohol have no more than one alcoholic drink (for women) or two alcoholic drinks (for men) daily.
• Physical activity (at least 30 minutes of walking or equivalent at least three times per week) is recommended for patients with hypertension who are on medications.
These may seem like deceptively easy steps (and they are), but you have to be committed to improving your health to stick with them.
Dr. Brent Ridge is the health expert for Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. You can call and ask him a question live every Tuesday at 2 p.m. Eastern on Sirius Satellite Radio, Channel 112 (1.866.675.6675). You can also follow along as he learns to grow his own food and raise goats on his farm in upstate New York by visiting www.beekman1802.com.
Got a health question for Dr. Brent? E-mail him at drbrent@care2.com.
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add your comment »thanks...
Kabin
Konteyner
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why is this inappropriate?
The big nasty negative influence on the lives of many, STRESS, can be a major influence on one's blood pressure. If the foundation of the stress can be actualized, then that's great! But, at any rate applying Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) should help to dissolve it even if the source is evasive.
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why is this inappropriate?
This is the great way for me to lower my blood pressure as I am really not compatible with medication. Sometimes the side effects I get are worse than the condition the medication is trying to correct. Doing it naturally therefore is the best route for me to follow.
Evelyn Guzman
http://www.free-symptoms-of-diabetes-alert.com (If you want to visit, just click but if it doesn’t work, copy and paste it onto your browser.)
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why is this inappropriate?
The DASH diet might be an improvement for some people, but if you really have high blood pressure problems, the McDougall plan will produce greater results! http://www.drmcdougall.com/med_hot_highbloodpressure.html
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why is this inappropriate?
I'm no doctor, but I have to believe mental outlook/focus plays a big role in this too. I find focusing on future opportunities / enjoying the day vs focusing on the past or problems is a huge stress reducer which literally reduces my blood pressure (at least while I'm awake).
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