Hypertension or high blood pressure, either way, this particular ailment still remains one of the biggest silent killers today. A "Silent Killer", because high blood pressure creeps up unnoticed most of the time and leads to the #1 "Silent Killer", heart disease.
When you've got elevated blood pressure, not only are you are at a higher risk for heart disease but also kidney failure, stroke, and several other serious conditions. High blood pressure affects both males and females, especially those in the African American community.
Although medication can be associated with the solution, it should not be the first step. There are several other proven ways to reduce your risk of these diseases.
Step 1 - Monitor Your Blood Pressure!
If you are unaware of what your current blood pressure reading is or if you have not had it checked in the last 6 months, then get to a local pharmacist, health clinic or qualified medical professional. Get a base line and this will help to work out what your next step should be.
Your blood pressure will be given to you in two numbers such as 110/70 mm Hg. Your systolic number is the highest number. If this number is 140 or above then you have hypertension! Your diastolic number is the second and lowest number. If this number is 90 or above then you have hypertension! The higher above this threshold the greater your danger to health.
Step 2 - Stop Smoking!
This is the hardest step for many, but it is also the most significant one to take. Smoking is in addition the primary risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and cardiovascular disease. It is estimated that 40% of all cardiovascular deaths are due to smoking.
Smoking will increase blood pressure. The carcinogenic components in tobacco damage the endothelial cells that line the walls of the arteries. This effects your nitric oxide production which (we'll discuss in Step 7). The carbon monoxide from the burned tobacco interferes with the blood's power to carry oxygen. This increases your pulse rate and can raise your systolic blood pressure. Smoking also constricts the blood vessels in your arms and legs. This adds to the resistance to blood flow which causes your diastolic blood pressure to improve.
Step 3 - Lose Weight!
Excessive weight is one of the main factors why hypertension is also at an all-time high. Slimming down can lower both your systolic and diastolic blood pressure. It is estimated that for every 20 pounds you lose, you can drop your systolic blood pressure 5-20 points.
Because lots of people have tried and failed at dieting, they see this category as hopeless. Diets are by their very nature restrictive and unproductive for long term weight loss. So get serious about your diet. Learn how to apply
weight management methods that can have a significant effect on your well being and blood pressure.
Step 4 - Exercise!
Proper aerobic workouts will strengthen your heart muscle, increase the diameter of the coronary arteries and increase your breathing. This can have a very positive effect on lowering your blood pressure. As the heart muscle is strengthened it usually improves the efficiency of its contraction. The result is a great volume of blood being pushed out of the heart to increase blood flow. This will assist you to lower your systolic blood pressure when you're in the rest or non-exercise phase of your normal daily pursuits.
Exercise can likewise improve capillary function and helps to build additional capillary beds. This decreases resistance to blood supply and will assist you to decrease your diastolic blood pressure. Most research shows that at least 30 minutes of moderate physical activity done 3 to 5 days every seven days can have a positive effect on your heart health and blood pressure.
Step 5 - Eat More Fruits & Vegetables!
The National Institutes of Health develop the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop High blood pressure) diet to help decrease your systolic blood pressure by 8-14 points. This dietary plan is low in fat, rich in fruits and vegetables, and moderate in animal protein.
A typical DASH eating plan includes:
• 4-5 helpings of vegetables daily
• 4-5 servings of fruits a day
• 7-8 servings of whole grains a day
• 2-3 portions of low-fat or fat-free dairy every day
• 2 or fewer helpings of lean meat, poultry, or seafood each day
• 4-5 servings of nuts, seeds, and beans every seven days
• 2-3 portions of fats and oils daily
This dietary approach is very similar to The Mediterranean Diet which has long been recognized as one of the better lifestyle approaches to reducing cardiovascular disease. Both of these diets emphasize vegetables and fruit. More and more research is showing how beneficial the phytochemicals located in vegetables and fruit are to the function of the human body.
Phytochemicals:
• Act as antioxidants.
• Keep the walls of small blood vessels healthy.
• Make our small blood vessels stronger.
• Prevent platelets from becoming sticky causing them to pile up.
• Block specific enzymes that can raise blood pressure.
The incorporation of fruit and veggies into your day to day diet might have multiple health benefits.
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Step 6 - Rebalance Your Mineral Intake!
Usually this centers on reducing or eliminating salt from your diet program. Even so, according to the Journal of the American Medical Association, reducing your salt intake has a restricted effect in lessening hypertension. Current research conducted in the US is exhibiting that moderate sodium intake combined with
essential minerals, offer greater benefits to help reduce hypertension than just restricting sodium intake. The answer why is that these four minerals work together to help regulate blood pressure.
Minerals work with the ultimate worriers,
antioxidants. Together they make an unstoppable team of defense.
Fruits and vegetables such as bananas, tomato plants, avocados, dates, raisins, cantaloupe, oranges, and watermelon are rich sources of potassium. Reduced fat or non-fat sources of dairy products will help help your calcium intake. Foods in their natural state contain less sodium than those that have been processed. Learning how to efficiently rebalance your mineral intake will certainly help reduce hypertension.
Step 7 - Understand The Importance of Nitric Oxide!
To the general public nitric oxide is not very well known. To the medical profession nitric oxide has being best known as the most significant signaling molecule for the circulatory system. Very simply your heart could not function properly without this critical molecule.
Nitric oxide regulates the muscular tissue of blood vessels to have a primary affect controlling blood pressure. Through a series of enzymes, the endothelial cells that line your blood vessels create nitric oxide from the essential amino acid L-arginine. Over 10,000 citations have been compiled showing how important L-arginine is for the right production of nitric oxide. Columbia University often refers to L-arginine as the magic bullet for the heart.
Conclusion
These seven natural steps will go a long way in helping you take the hyper out of high blood pressure.
Take a
Proactive Approach to your health! Each one is preventive in nature. Reducing the risk for age- related diseases depends on your willingness to implement some simple, but profound, way of life changes. Until next time, may we both age youthfully!
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