If your blood pressure is more than 140/95 mm Hg, then you have high blood pressure or hypertension.
The upper number is the systolic pressure, which is pressure in the arteries as the heart contracts and pumps blood forward into the arteries. The lower number is the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries as the heart relaxes.
There are not much symptoms with high blood pressure. That is why it is called the “Silent Killer”
What cause high blood pressure?
- Excessive salt intake: more than 5.8 g per day
- Heredity: both of your parents have high blood pressure
- Obesity
- Kidney disease
- Lack of exercise
- Aging
Having high blood pressure will increase the risk of:
- Heart disease
- Kidney failure
- Hardening of the arteries
- Eye damage
- Stroke
Blood pressure reading 120 – 139 / 80 – 89 mm Hg is considered pre-hypertension. For this region, it can be controlled with change in lifestyle.
Blood pressure reading 140/95 mm Hg will need medication to control it. However, most medications come with undesirable side effects and long-term medication can put stress to your liver for detoxification.
Ultimately, you should change your lifestyle and work towards minimizing or removing from medication in the long run.
Here are 5 simple steps to lower your blood pressure naturally.
Step 1: Reduce salt intake to 1500mg per day
This is not just removing the salt shaker from the table. Most food contains some salt, for example, most bread contains 100mg of salt per slice and many processed foods are high in salt.
Do read the label and check out the salt content before you use the package food. Use herbs and spices to flavor your food instead of salt.
Step 2: Exercise regularly
Do some form of aerobic activities such as take 30 min brisk walk every day. Exercise increases the blood flow, which relaxes the blood vessel and help blood to flow through easily and hence reduces blood pressure.
Step 3: Change to a diet of low-fat and high fiber
Reduce saturated fat, cholesterol and increase fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy products in the diet. This means reduce red meat, sweets and sugar containing beverages.
Choose low-fat and low salt versions. Drink water and herbal tea instead of soft drinks and packaged juices
Step 4: Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are essential fatty acids, which the body cannot manufacture. Food rich in omega 3 are oily fish such as salmon and tuna, flax-seed and nuts.
Research by Dr Hiratsuka Ueshima of Shiga University, Japan found that people who have the highest intake of omega 3 fatty acids have the lowest incidence of high blood pressure.
Step 5: Choose protein from plant
Studies have shown that people who eat meat have high blood pressures compared to vegetarians. Dr Paul Elliot (Imperial College of London, UK) led a research team to study the relationship between vegetable protein and blood pressure.
The study concluded that a diet high in vegetable products be part of a healthy lifestyle for prevention of high blood pressure and related chronic diseases
Rich source of vegetable protein can be found in soya bean, all types of beans, nuts and seeds.
Are there other ways you know that can reduce blood pressure naturally?
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