If you are reluctant to take medications to decrease your blood pressure or perhaps you are having a hard time reaching and maintaining your targeted blood pressure goal, do not worry. Worrying causes added stress and only makes it worse. Instead, you should check out activities listed below that can help you achieve your blood pressure goals without adding medications.
There is an activity that fits your situation and personality. You might discover something that you like and can stick to. But you might also find that you have to remove yourself from people, place, and things that might be hazardous to your health. Just explore.
You are What You Eat
Food is one of the main contributing factors to high blood pressure. It’s no secret that we like to eat and enjoy a good meal. Look at the size of our plates and waist line. These are good measurement tool that tells us and the world that we are overeating food.
It’s our over-hyped taste buds that get us in trouble and causes us to overindulge in our favorite treats.
From salty to sweet and everything in between there is a treat for every taste bud. Also, the food that you enjoy eating the most depends on your culture. For this reason, dieting is difficult for many.
Even when we know that we are possibly eating our way to an early grave, we still part take in sweet treats way more than we should. And we never just take “one bite,” and we are always starting our diet the next day. No wonder we have high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol. All of these are attributed bad food.
Have no fear. There is still hope for you, me and the old lady. However, you will have to make adjustments to your food selections.
Did you know that you can eat your way to good health? This is especially important if you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetic. You can prevent and control high blood pressure by eating more blood pressure friendly foods like the following:
Yogurt
Rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, three minerals that help with the regulation of blood flow, yogurt has shown significant promise in reducing blood pressure naturally. A daily dose of low-fat yogurt is necessary, and research has shown that daily yogurt decreases the risk of developing high blood pressure by over 30%. But if you do not like yogurt here is some other options.
Foods High in Calcium
- Cheese Products
- Milk Products
- Tofu
- Sardines
- Dairy Products
- Fortified Cereals
Foods High in Potassium
- Baked Potato
- Beet Greens
- Adzuki Beans
- White Beans
- Plain Yogurt
- Sweet Potato
- Atlantic Salmon
- Soy Beans
- Peanuts
- Avocado
- Spinach
Foods High in Magnesium
- Pumpkin Seed
- Swish chard
- Spinach
- Edamame/baby soy beans
- Beans (any variety)
- Almonds
- Black-eyed peas/cowpeas
- Pumpkin or squash seeds
- Brazil nuts
Black Tea
Full of flavonoids, black tea has been shown to help lower blood pressure by small amounts. Although not a hugely significant finding, even the most minor changes can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure. Researchers have revealed that flavonoids may help relax blood vessels which then results in lower blood pressure.
There are other ways to lower your blood pressure naturally. They can also help improve your overall well being.
Volunteer for a Charity or Event
At first, most people don’t volunteer to gain benefit for themselves. Volunteering for some is just giving back to society. If you ask them, they will say they do it to help others. They then start to find out some of the benefits they also gain such as stress reduction and happiness knowing they have made a positive difference in someone else’s life. If you have volunteered, then you know what I mean. If you have not then you need to try it. If you have a food bank in your area, sign up and try it out. Giving from the soul is good for the heart. Local charities are always looking for a few volunteers, and just a quick search online will result in plenty of opportunities
Walk a Dog
Pet ownership has many benefits, and that includes an overall improved mood and an increase in exercise levels. Walking at least 20 minutes a day with a dog will alleviate stress, which is a natural way to reduce blood pressure. Even those who don’t own a pet can reap benefits from this exercise by going to a local shelter and offering to be one of the dog walkers.
Listen to Music
Soothing music is used by many at the end of a stressful day, but we often do not know why soothing music is helpful. Soothing music slows down the heart rate, decreases breathing rate, and lowers blood pressure naturally. Whether classical, new age or love songs, any music that is slow and soothing can do the trick. In the alternative, music that is upbeat will increase heart rate and may help improve levels of exercise and activity
Exercise or Be More Physically Active
Moderate aerobic exercise, 30 minutes a day, will improve cardiovascular health and, in turn, reduce the risk of developing hypertension. People who start to exercise on a regular basis, either in a fitness class or by going for a brisk walk, will see significant improvement in their blood pressure without the use of medications. According to the American Heart Association, exercise can decrease your systolic (top number) by 4-9mm Hg.
Foster Positive Relationships
Detoxing from a bad relationship can help reduce your blood pressure. Toxic relationships can be stressful, burdensome, draining and unfulfilling. The constant arguing and fighting can be disastrous for your health. Do you get headaches or feel drained after an argument? Do not get me wrong. We don’t all think alike. Seven brothers, seven different minds. Therefore, from time to time we will have disagreements with our loved ones. But if you feel exhausted after an argument then its time to make some changes. The exhaustion that you feel is a sign of the stress hormone cortisol.
Stay Calm and Be Still
Sitting still and focusing your mind on one object or thing is almost impossible for some people. However, studies have shown that meditation is very helpful in reducing stress in the body because it decreases the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol in high amounts can cause high blood pressure.
Enjoy Massage Therapy
A good massage can help relieve stress, pain, and tension in the muscle. Physical touch by a human hand during a massage also sends a positive signal to the brain causing a sense of relaxation and peacefulness in the mind and body.
Start Coloring
Coloring books are not only for children. The adult version of coloring books allows you to be free, creative and mindful. This is an activity that you can do with your entire family that can cultivate a positive relationship within your family. Also, the color spaces are so small that it forces you to be mindful and in the moment.
As we get older, due to our family and work commitments, our lives can become very stressful. A huge contributor to high blood pressure is stress. This can be through a direct or indirect path. Some are obvious while some are not obvious. Amongst other things, we make bad food choices when we are stressed. Therefore, finding activities that can help us decrease our stress level will also reduce our blood pressure.
With just a few changes, we can control our blood pressure and reduce the risk of stroke and heart disease without medication. From coloring books to exercise lifestyles changes can make a big difference in overall health.