With nearly 116 million people in the United States (1 out of 2 people) and over 30% of the world population, high blood pressure (hypertension) is one of the most common medical conditions worldwide. It is not only the most common but also one of the most underrated and untreated medical conditions, as an estimated 46% of all affected people are not aware of having the condition. Approximately 1 in 5 adults (21%) with hypertension have it under control – which is alarming because hypertension significantly increases the risks of heart, brain, kidney, and other diseases and is one of the major causes of premature death worldwide.
Okay – now it’s time for the good news. If you choose to do something about it. Hypertension can be treated very easily in a lot of different ways.
They will be all listed below, with a short explanation. If you don’t have the time to go through the text now, here is the list:
- Lose weight
- Reduce salt in your diet
- Quit smoking
- Quit alcohol
- Choose a healthy diet
- Exercise regularly
- Reduce stress
- Reduce caffeine intake
- Start breathing exercises
1. Lose weight
To make it easy and simple: if you are overweight or having obesity, losing even a small amount of weight can lower your blood pressure. Being overweight and obese are also strong risk factors for heart disease. Men are at risk if their waist measurements exceed 40 inches (102 centimeters). Women are at risk if their waist measurements exceed 35 inches (89 centimeters). Lose weight now to lower your blood pressure!
2. Reduce salt in your diet
Many research studies have linked high intake of salt with high blood pressure (hypertension) and heart diseases like stroke. Salt raises your blood pressure immediately. That’s why the American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day and an ideal limit of no more than 1,500 mg per day, which is approximately two-thirds of a teaspoon. Reduce your salt intake now to lower your blood pressure!
3. Quit smoking
Smoking increases blood pressure acutely and is a slow killer. A slow killer which you are actually paying for – isn’t that crazy? Smoking increases your blood pressure immediately by 5 to 10 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). It narrows your arteries, hardens their walls, and makes your blood clumpy. Just quit smoking now to lower your blood pressure! This YouTube Video will help you.
4. Quit alcohol
Alcohol is not only the causal factor for more than 200 diseases but also kills over 3 million people a year. This is around 5% of all deaths! And we haven’t even talked about the deaths caused by alcohol consumption through traffic accidents, etc. Drinking alcohol increases your blood pressure up to 13 hours after consumption! Do yourself a favor and quit drinking alcohol now to lower your blood pressure!
5. Choose a healthy diet
Aim for balanced nutrition, rich in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains. Add fat-free or low-fat dairy products like fish, poultry, beans, or nuts. Avoid soda drinks and processed food. Choosing healthy food is choosing a quality life with an overall healthy body and healthy blood pressure!
6. Exercise regularly
Regular physical activity lowers blood pressure by about 5 to 8 mm Hg. Consistency is more important than the intensity of the training. Aim for 3-5 times a week moderate physical activity for 30 minutes. This can be jogging or riding a bike or just a faster walk. Choose body-weight exercises over dumbbells, as weight training increases blood pressure. Started working out today to lower your blood pressure consequently.
7. Reduce stress
The hormones (adrenaline and cortisol) produced when feeling stress temporarily increase your blood pressure, cause your heart to beat faster and narrow your blood vessels. Easy ways to reduce stress are “saying no” more often to reduce responsibilities, practicing breathing exercises, and building a sense of gratitude for life. Start doing these things today to lower your blood pressure.
8. Reduce caffeine intake
Caffeine will rise your blood pressure dramatically in the short term, which means around 3 to 4 hours. Although it does research shows, that regular moderate caffeine consumption (1 cup a day) does not have a significant impact on blood pressure. If you are a heavy coffee consumer, reduce your intake and contribute to lowering your blood pressure.
9. Start breathing exercises
Breathing exercises can significantly decrease your blood pressure. I personally use this technique and it helps me tremendously. The good side effect is higher concentration and overall calmness throughout the day. Check out this YouTube video, which I used, in the beginning, to learn how to breathe in order to lower my blood pressure!
It’s overwhelming how much you and I can do, to lower our high blood pressure. Nowadays we often feel helpless, think we need to rely on medications only, or just ignore the fact, that our body is not doing well, because of our work, which gets prioritized day in and day out. Totally forgetting that it is so easy to lower our high blood pressure ourselves within a few minutes a day!
I’m convinced that these 9 tips will help you lower your high blood pressure and I am looking forward to my next article and your comments below.
All the best,
Alexander
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