Saturday, April 4, 2009

You Can Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

By I Russell

High blood pressure consists of two numbers. The top reading is the systolic number and the bottom number is the diastolic reading. The systolic pressure indicates the pressure as your heart beats and the diastolic pressure indicate the number between contractions. You can tell you have high blood pressure when your systolic number is over 130 and your diastolic number is over 85. But you dont necessarily need medication to lower your high blood pressure. You can lower blood pressure naturally.

There is a correlation between being overweight and high blood pressure. A majority of people need to lose weight. The mechanics of the correlation between excess weight and high blood pressure are not clearly understood. However, evidence suggests the connection is related to non-normal glucose levels. Experts recommend a person who wants to lose weight exercise a minimum of 30 minutes 5 times per week. It doesn't have to be extreme or strenous. Something simple like walking 30 minutes each day makes a difference. Exercise lowers blood pressure naturally in many ways. It obviously helps with weight loss and stress management. Studies show regular aerobic exercise strengthens the heart so it pumps more efficiently leading to lower blood pressure naturally.

To lower blood pressure naturally another important parameter is of diet. Diet is an important parameter which is very useful in lowering your blood pressure. To lower your blood pressure, the diet should be rich of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and dairy products. Although red meat and sweets can be consumed but basically the diet should be rich in fruits and vegetables for lowering your blood pressure within two weeks. Your diet should also include supplements which can also help to lower blood pressure naturally. Less intake of Sodium can also lower the blood pressure levels in a natural way. Hence, how much sodium intake you can reduce? It's advised to lower it down to around 1,500 milligrams a day which is half the National average. One teaspoon of salt has 1,200 milligrams of sodium in it.

An important way to lower blood pressure naturally is to cut down on the amount of drinks you consume. The less you drink, the lower your blood pressure will be. Now that is not to say you cannot drink at all. It is recommended one drink a day is fine but not more than that. Always drink in moderation whether you have high blood pressure or not.

Caffeine is a huge way to increase your blood pressure. So to lower blood pressure naturally, slow down on the caffeine. If you drink three cups of coffee each day, it will increase your blood pressure by 4 mm. The reason caffeine raises blood pressure is because it tightens the blood vessels and causes more stress. When your body is under stress, your heart starts pumping more and therefore you get a huge boost in your blood pressure. If you really need that cup of coffee in the morning, switch to decaf.

Natural dietary supplements are another great way to lower blood pressure naturally and maintain a healthy pressure. Supplements like L-arginine, grape seed extract, lycopene and pycnogenol have been clinically proven to help lower blood pressure. These safe natural supplements will not cause any harmful after effects with the positive benefits of better cardiovascular health. Taking these supplements on a daily basis will be your first step to a healthier lifestyle.

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