Understanding Blood Pressure and Its
Effect on Our Health
Before diving
into ways to combat high blood pressure, it is first important to have a
foundational understanding of what blood pressure is. Blood pressure simply
refers to the amount of force that
your blood puts on your arteries as
it moves through your body. Arteries are blood vessels that carry blood from
your heart and pumps it to the rest of your body and as the blood moves, it
puts pressure on your artery walls.
High blood
pressure, which is also commonly referred to as hypertension, occurs when your
blood moves through your arteries at a higher
pressure than what is considered normal. Think of your blood vessels as
stretchy tubes, which (technically)
they are. While these vessels are able to stretch quite easily, they do not
stretch in all directions. If they did, they would balloon up and cause other
health related issues. It is important to realize that not all high blood pressure is bad, in fact, it sometimes can be a
healthy and normal bodily function. Take after exercising, for example: during
an exercise routine there is often a short term spike in blood pressure and
pulse. This temporary spike works with your entire circulatory system by
pressurizing your arteries and in return, your body naturally resists this
pressure, keeping them strong and healthy.

You can go years without realizing you have high blood pressure, which makes getting tested all the more important. Testing your blood pressure often can greatly reduce risks of heart attack and stroke and can ultimately lead you to living a happier and healthier life! Lifestyle plays a large role in lowering your high blood pressure.
If you successfully
control your blood pressure with a healthy lifestyle, you might avoid, delay or
reduce the need for medication or serious medical attention. Listed below are five
natural ways that will help you lower your blood pressure and live the healthy
life you deserve!
1. Reduce Your Stress:
In today’s chaotic world, it is easy to find yourself bogged down by stressors from work, relationships, or personal finances. It has been found that chronic stress is a large contributor to high blood pressure. Occasional stress also can contribute to high blood pressure if you treat your stress by eating unhealthy food, drinking alcohol or smoking. In order to reduce your stress, you must first take some time to think about where the root of your stress lays. Once found, consider how you can make conscious efforts to either eliminate or cope with them in a healthy and productive way.
·
Acknowledge
the root of your stress:
Understanding what brings about your stress is crucial to living a happy and
healthy lifestyle. It can also help you make better decisions to directly avoid
what causes you anxiety or mental anguish. For example, if driving in traffic
causes you stress, consider alternate routes or drive slightly after or before
rush hour.
·
Take
time to relax and do what you enjoy: Perhaps the most basic way to
combat stress is relaxing, but many of us struggle to find the time to meditate
and do the activities we enjoy in our busy lives.
·
Exercise
regularly: Whether you run 5k or walk down the street,
exercising daily is a great way to relieve pent up stress from the day. Exercise
releases endorphins, which are hormones that help boost your mood and increase energy
levels.
·
Breathe!
: It sounds simple, but many of us forget to breathe in
stressful situations. Practicing deep breathing techniques physiologically
lowers your heart rate and can quickly and naturally calm you down from bouts
of anxiety.
Kicking
off your morning with a daily cup of coffee is a habit many of us have grown
accustom to, but what most people don’t know is that caffeine can easily
increase blood pressure in those who aren’t habitual coffee or tea
drinkers. In fact, it’s been found that
caffeine can raise blood pressure by as much as 10 mm Hg in people who rarely consume it. Be sure to limit your
intake of sodas and energy drinks and try substituting your regular coffee for
decaf. These simple diet changes can greatly reduce the likelihood of your
blood pressure raising. Non-fat fruit smoothies, pomegranate juice, lemon
water, or even natural vegetable juices are healthy alternatives for your
morning coffee or tea and contain none of the caffeine that increases your
blood pressure and heart rate.
3. Promote Blood Flow
Use our exercise and yoga balls to quickly and easily stretch out your torso, legs, and arms. Doing so will feel amazing and will provide you with core and balance training while promoting healthy blood flow to all areas of your body!
Acupuncture is an age-old medical practice that has been used for centuries to help assist regular blood flow and relieve tension in all areas of the body. Pain free and extremely relaxing, our acupuncture needles help relieve tension in your muscles as well as break up blood clots in your arteries that typically contribute to high blood pressure and other related conditions.
4. Eat Less Sodium:
A poor diet is
one of the leading causes of high blood pressure, so sticking to a healthy diet
plan is extremely important in avoiding circulatory illnesses and conditions.
One of the best ways to kickstart a healthier diet is to limit the amount of
sodium you eat. Did you know that even a small reduction of sodium in your diet
can reduce blood pressure by 2-8 mm Hg? The effect of sodium intake can vary
among different groups of people, but in general, limiting the sodium in your
diet to less than 2,300 mg a day can have almost instantaneous effects on your
health and general well-being. To help lower the amount of sodium in your diet,
consider reading food labels carefully, eating fewer processed foods, and
resisting the urge to add salt when not necessary.
5. Quit Smoking:
The nicotine
found in cigarettes has been linked to drastically raising blood pressure and
heart rate, narrowing arteries and hardening the arterial lining, and
increasing the likelihood of forming blood clots over time. Both smoking and
the exposure to secondhand smoke increase the risk for the buildup of plaque
inside the arteries, which is widely referred to as atherosclerosis: a condition in which high blood
pressure is known to accelerate. Not only does quitting smoking help normalize
your blood pressure, but it also substantially increases your life expectancy,
regardless of age.
Have other
holistic methods of lowering your blood pressure! Let us know! Tell us what
works for you in the comments.
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