Originally published August 17 2010
Take Simple Steps to Avoid High Blood Pressure
by Linda Carlson
(NaturalNews) Essential hypertension (High Blood Pressure) affects approximately 72 million Americans. The cause can be due to one or more contributing factors and there are a number of safe and effective ways to prevent and treat this condition.
The CDC's National Center for Health Statistics released facts and figures on American health care. The latest year included in the reports is 2006. That report showed that 71.6 percent of walk-in medical visits resulted in a prescription for drugs. A great number of those drugs would be for the treatment of High Blood Pressure since that was the most common diagnosis during a walk-in health care visit.
High blood pressure is an important risk factor for atherosclerosis, and it is responsible for the majority of deaths in the United States.
What Causes Hypertension (HBP)?
A list of some of the probable causes include: stress, excessive alcohol use, smoking, being overweight, not exercising, having high cholesterol, being insulin-resistant, a diet with too much sodium (salt), and too low of levels in potassium, magnesium and calcium.
Stress is a bad actor here since some favorite coping skills for stress are drinking alcohol, smoking, and/or overeating. Stress very often stems from a hectic lifestyle or high-stress job where people feel they have no time for exercise. These common coping choices are all on the probable cause list above making stress a strong contender for the major cause of HBP.
Solutions:
The best alternative to prescription drugs is to make some healthy lifestyle changes. If these changes are made in advance, prescription drugs may be avoided, and making these changes if you already have HBP may allow you to decrease or get off of HBP drugs. We are simply "not" deficient of drugs.
The human body is meant to be in motion. Exercise goes a long way to manage stress. Simply taking a 15 minute walk a day can make a big difference.
The body needs nutrients. Nutrients come from "real" food. One of the easiest and most effective ways to lower your blood pressure is to eat healthy. Consume a diet rich in complex carbohydrates, including vegetables, fruits, and legumes. Decrease sodium (salt) levels. Trade bad fats like sugar for good fats like nuts and seeds. Eat less red meat and more fish and poultry. A high fiber diet has been shown to be effective in preventing and treating many forms of cardiovascular disease, including hypertension. Next trip to the grocery store, check out the food that "isn't" in a box, can or bottle.
Supplements can also help. Magnesium levels are shown to be consistently low in people suffering from hypertension. Potassium and calcium levels are often low as well. Diet alone is generally not enough to reach the levels needed.
Some studies suggest relaxation methods that include mild physical activity with controlled breathing, such as yoga, are beneficial for people with hypertension.
In summary: Address the stress, eat right, exercise and relax. Making these lifestyle changes is a natural and effective way to prevent or treat HBP.
sources:
http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.a... http://www.medicinenet.com/high_blood_pressu... http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood... http://blood.emedtv.com/arteriosclerosis/art...
Linda Carlson CNWC
About the author
Linda Carlson is a Certified Nutrition & Wellness Counselor with 21 years experience. Dragonfly Health at www.cree77.com
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