Description: This article talks about the dangers of high blood pressure. You’ll also learn how to lower your blood pressure naturally.
It’s easy not to be worried by high blood pressure when you’re young and healthy. But did you know why uncontrolled high blood pressure is often referred to as the silent killer? It’s because it can wreak havoc on your arteries, heart, and organs without you knowing it.
When left untreated, high blood pressure can result to a host of health problems ranging from stroke, heart attack, heart disease, and congestive heart failure. You could even suffer from kidney damage, vision loss, and erectile dysfunction. Other complications of high blood pressure are angina, memory loss, and peripheral artery disease.
The good news is that it is not too late for you to lower your blood pressure. Here are some natural ways to do so:
1. Cut Down on Salt
Eating foods that are rich in salt like French fries can trigger an increase in blood pressure. Salt contains sodium which reduces the kidney’s ability to remove water. This results to higher blood pressure because the body holds extra water to remove the salt from the system, as well as the extra strain on the blood vessels.
So avoid eating salty foods, especially those served in fast food joints. You should limit your salt intake to around 600 milligrams every day.
2. Avoid Smoking
If you are a smoker, then you have a higher risk of high blood pressure or hypertension. This is because nicotine can increase blood pressure and heart rate, making the arteries narrower. It also hardens the wall, and makes it more likely that your blood will clot. Smoking also stresses the heart, increasing the risks of heart attack or stroke.
3. Drink Green Tea
You should also make drinking of green tea part of your daily routine. This drink is packed with powerful antioxidants and compounds that are unmatched by any other food.
Green tea is rich in polyphenols like catechin that can improve blood flow and blood pressure.
There have been numerous studies supporting this claim. One recent study was published in the British Journal of Nutrition and showed that long-term green tea intake can improve blood pressure. The study found out that men who drank green tea for 12 weeks had their blood pressure reduced by 2.6mmHg systolic and 2.2 mmHg diastolic.
The study added that drinking green tea can reduce risks of stroke by 8 percent and coronary artery disease by 5 percent.
4. Lose Weight
Blood pressure usually increases as you gain weight. Generally speaking, men are at risk of high blood pressure if their waist measures more than 40 inches, while women are at risk if their waists are greater than 35 inches. Thus, weight loss is one of the best ways to control blood pressure.
5. Manage Stress
Chronic stress can also cause your blood pressure to spike. Occasional stress is also a contributor to high blood pressure, especially if you react to it by going on an eating binge, drinking lots of alcoholic drinks, or downing a pack of cigarettes in a day.
There are several ways for you to manage stress. You can relax after a stressful day at work by reading a book, or watching a movie. Or better yet, get moving and work out in the gym.
6. Exercise Regularly
Exercising regularly—like 30 minutes a day—can have a tremendous effect on your blood pressure. You can exercise by running around your neighborhood, or enrolling in a fitness centers like the Title Boxing Club or Soul Cycle. Either way, you will surely be able to get rid of those excess pounds and more importantly, lower your blood pressure.