Friday, December 12, 2008

12 Steps To A Healthy Blood Pressure

by Christian Goodman

Even the medical community who have been doing research on blood pressure for decades say that about 95% of high blood pressure problems have unknown causes, and you can have it without even knowing it, even if you feel healthy. For this reason, you must be on guard and monitor your blood pressure, and have it checked on a regular basis.

As you know, smoking and coffee causes a temporary rise in your blood pressure, so don't smoke or drink coffee for at least thirty minutes before you have your blood pressure taken. If you're a smoker, you should know that you have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure than a non-smoker.

Other factors that increase your risk include high cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, heart disease or another medical condition or if you're over the age of 60 or of menopausal age. When you check your blood pressure, be aware that fluctuations are normal, and a one time high reading doesn't necessarily mean you have hypertension. It's when those readings are consistently elevated that a diagnosis is usually made. Sometimes other medications you may be taking can contribute to raising your blood pressure.

There are changes you can make in your diet and in your lifestyle that can help reduce the risk and possibly even prevent high blood pressure. These are listed below. The more you can adopt into your life, the more you lower your risk for developing hypertension.

> Limit alcohol to two drinks per day or even less

> Maintain a healthy weight and lose weight if needed

> Cut your fat intake to less than 30%

> Limit added salt and be mindful of sodium content in prepared foods

> Exercise regularly at a moderate level of intensity several times a week

> Stop smoking

> Be sure you get at least 1000 mg (milligrams) of calcium every day. Good sources are dairy products, broccoli, canned salmon, figs, tofu and kale

> You also need 2500-3000 mg of potassium daily. Get that from fresh veggies and fruit, nuts and dairy products. Look for low fat brands of dairy products.

> Get 350-400 mg of magnesium daily. You'll find it in dark green veggies, whole grains, seafood, legumes, nuts, and soybeans.

> Get a good night's sleep. Inadequate sleep can actually raise your blood pressure even higher if you already have hypertension.

> Relax more. Reduce the stress in your life, particularly if you have risk factors for high blood pressure. Consider taking up yoga or meditation to learn how to relax.

> If you drink a lot of coffee (more than 2-4 cups) every day, consider cutting back or eliminating it altogether. It can help lower your blood pressure, but only slightly.

One more thing that you can do to lower your blood pressure is by utilizing my Natural High Blood Pressure Program. I developed this program to help you lower your readings naturally.

All it takes are a few simple exercises that you do daily, and requires only a few minutes of your time. Hundreds of people have already successfully lowered their blood pressure in a safe and natural way by using the program.

No comments: