For most of my adult life, I have dealt with high blood pressure. At the age of 32 I was diagnosed with extremely high blood pressure. This is also known as hypertension. My high blood pressure is the result of a medical condition known as sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is just one way to gain high blood pressure. There are multiple causes for a person to experience high blood pressure. These include being overweight, increase in salt intake, decrease in exercise and less intake of fruits and vegetables.
So, with that being said, here is how we can deal with high blood pressure. There are medications that your doctor can prescribe to you. However, you should try to avoid having to be put on medications at all costs.
There are some tips that I am going to share with you that can help lower your blood pressure.
Firstly, eat more fruits and vegetables, and lower your sodium/salt intake. Secondly, be more active by getting in daily exercise. Thirdly, limit the usage of alcohol and cigarettes. Finally, reduce stress and get a good night’s sleep. These tips can lower your blood pressure or prevent it from increasing.
There are certain fruits and vegetables that will help lower blood pressure. These include kiwi, oranges, bananas, beats, watermelon, and berries. For vegetables this includes leafy greens, peas and beans. Other foods to include are fish, nuts and oats.
Another good habit is to check your blood pressure daily. This is to keep a record for your doctor. Your blood pressure changes throughout the day and from day to day. Family and friends give support by encouraging you to take better care of yourself.
It has been a long hard road for me to get my blood pressure under control. I have had the support of my family and my doctor throughout this process. I am currently on a health/wellness journey of my own. This journey has not been easy, I will admit it.
Discover 3 easy exercises that will drop your blood pressure to a normal number today! Click here!
Stay tuned to learn more about my health and wellness journey. You might learn some tips and tricks along the way…….
Understanding Hypertension.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is often called a “silent killer”. This is because you can have high blood pressure without even knowing you have it. When it is uncontrolled for a long time it can increase your risk of having a heart attack,stroke, and other life threatening conditions.
A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120 over less than 80
Elevated is 120-129 over less than 80.
High stage 1 is 130-139 over 80-89.
High stage 2 is 140 or higher over 90 or higher.
Crisis stage is higher than 180 and/ over higher than 120 (seek care immediately).
What causes Hypertension?
There are multiple causes for high blood pressure and your risk also increases with age. As you get older, your artery walls lose elasticity. Most common causes of high blood pressure are:
- Genetics
- Poor Diet
- Lack of exercise
- Stress
- Alcohol
- Medications
Essential or primary hypertension is if you have unknown cause for your high blood pressure. Secondary hypertension is if your high blood pressure is caused by a medical condition, such as kidney disease.
Home Remedies for Managing Hypertension
Eat a healthy diet
Changing your eating habits can help lower your blood pressure. The American Heart Association endorses the DASH diet (dietary approaches to stop hypertension).
The DASH diet is rich in vegetables, fruits,whole grains, and lean sources of proteins. It is low in saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, and sodium.
You should also reduce your caffeine and alcohol intake.
Reduce your sodium intake.
Sodium causes your body to retain fluids which increases your blood volume and the pressure in your blood vessels. By reducing your sodium intake it can lower your blood pressure.
Most people that are healthy should limit their intake to 2,300 milligrams or less per day.
People with high blood pressure, diabetes, or chronic kidney disease, should not have more than 1,500 milligrams per day. Less would be better.
If you are African-American or over the age of 50 you also should limit your intake to 1.500 milligrams per day.
Eat more potassium.
Eating more potassium lessens the effect of sodium in your body and eating enough of it can help control your blood pressure. Potassium is an important mineral for good health.
An Adult person should consume about 4,700 milligrams of potassium per day. Some foods that are rich in potassium are:
- White potatoes
- Avocados
- Sweet potatoes
- Greens like spinach
- Bananas
- Oranges
- Salmon
- White beans
It is always good to ask your doctor how much you should need because eating too much can also be harmful if you have certain medical conditions like chronic kidney disease.
Get regular exercise
With eating well, you will want to get regular exercise. Even low-to-moderate exercise can help reduce high blood pressure.
Most healthy adults should get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week. Adults with high blood pressure should try to get at least 40 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise three to four times per week.
Lose weight
Losing weight has proven to decrease blood pressure in people that have hypertension. Even gradual weight loss has a benefit for your blood pressure levels. It can help reduce or prevent hypertension. A 5-10 pound weight loss can be a benefit to your health.
Stop smoking
Smoking can cause a large number of cardiovascular diseases. With each cigarette that you smoke it raises your blood pressure temporarily.
Smoking leads to inflammation, which causes damage to blood vessels after a long term. There are ways to help quit smoking, ask your doctor for recommendations.
Get enough vitamin C and D
Vitamin C
Higher doses of vitamin c, an average of 500mg per day may help reduce blood pressure. Also may act as a diuretic and remove excess fluid from your body which may help lower the pressure in your blood vessels.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D deficiency may raise the risk of high blood pressure. You should have your doctor check your levels if you live in colder darker climates where you do not get enough sun.
Taking vitamin D supplements may help lower your blood pressure. Vitamin D is also essential for your overall health. Here are some foods that you can find vitamin D in:
- Mushrooms
- Egg yolks
- Salmon
- Tuna (even canned)
- Soy milk
- Cow’s milk
- Orange juice
Reduce stress
High levels of stress for a long time raise your blood pressure and have a negative effect on your health overall. Reducing your stress will impact your high blood pressure directly.
If you are unable to cut out stress from your life then consulting a therapist can be helpful. They can offer stress management techniques and other was to reduce stress in your life.
Here are two things you can try:
Meditation can help relieve stress and anxiety. Meditation alone can be effective but deep breathing exercises with meditation can reduce heart rate and forcibly lower blood pressure.
Acupuncture is also used to reduce stress and promote relaxation. Acupuncture may improve certain medical conditions like high blood pressure.
Connect with your healthcare provider
Get your blood pressure checked regularly by your doctor and follow your doctor’s recommendations to lower your blood pressure.
They may prescribe medications, supplements or talk to you about changing your diet or exercise routine.
Always talk to your doctor before stopping any medications because of potential risks. It may take some time to find the right treatment that works for you.
