How To Control Blood Pressure Without Any Side Effects
Elevated levels of blood pressure can be quite a bummer when it comes to the health of your heart. But not to worry, with simple changes in lifestyle and taking some healthy medications you can win the battle with blood pressure. Take a look at some natural and harmless ways to tame blood pressure levels.
- Lose extra weight
Your weight is directly proportional to your blood pressure level. As you gain more weight, you gain more blood pressure as well. Shedding those extra calories can be critical in controlling your blood pressure. Try to lose about 4.5 kilos, which can have considerable effect on blood pressure. Overweight people tend to have elevated levels of blood pressure especially during sleep as breathing gets disrupted because of the weight factor. Watching your waistline is one way to keep your blood pressure at bay. For men, keep it below 40 inches and women need to keep it under 35 inches (Average statistics). If you are overweight, exercise and dietary supplements can help. Be sure to use safer organic supplements.
- Watch your diet
If you have high blood pressure, controlling your diet should be the first step that you take. Cut down on the saturated fats. This means switching your regular oil to healthy vegetable oil that contains unsaturated fats. Stay away from red meat at least for a while and eat fewer sweets. Use only whole grain products, and have more fish, nuts and poultry products. Make sure you stock up on all the necessary minerals such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Add plenty of fruits and vegetables that are rich in natural fibers to your diet. Blueberry is one of the effective fruits when it comes to reducing blood pressure levels.
- Control alcohol intake
Alcohol intake can have both desirable and undesirable effects on your blood pressure, depending on the quantity that you take. In small quantities such as one drink a day, alcohol actually helps to lower the blood pressure. But if you cross the limits, things can get very dangerous. Since alcohol is addictive, you need to be extra cautious here. Drinking more than the right amount can elevate your blood pressure as well as reduce the effectiveness of your medications.
- Regular physical activity
Study has found that people of any age group who exercise regularly or engage in some intense physical activity daily tend to have lower risk of developing high blood pressure. Hence engaging your body in regular physical exercise is the key to maintaining a healthy level of blood pressure. If you have a moderately high blood pressure, daily jogs can help a lot.
- Stress management
Elevated stress level is another villain that has been known to cause high blood pressure. Take time to think about the reasons for your stress and talk it out with someone close to you. If you want, you can consult a therapist and get professional help. Working out daily has been found to be an effective method to blow off the extra steam. You can also use natural methods like green tea which can have calming effect on your nerves.
- Stop smoking
If you are a regular smoker, quitting can have immediate effects on lowering your blood pressure. Each cigarette you smoke tend to increase your blood pressure just minutes after you finish it. People who quit smoking have less chances of developing heart diseases and have higher life expectancy.
- Regular checkup
Monitor your blood pressure levels regularly at home and make sure that you keep it at bay. If it starts to cross the line immediately take the right actions. If you catch it early it is easier you control it. If you take controlling measures early, you won’t need medications to lower blood pressure; exercise and a controlled diet will do.
- Herbal supplements
Supplements can help a lot when it comes to lowering blood pressure. But you need to be very careful in choosing the right one here, because all the synthetic supplements available are made from harmful that can undesirable side effects. The safer alternative is to use healthy organic supplements as they contain only natural herbal ingredients, which are good for the body.
If you have high blood pressure or are looking for ways to prevent it, all you need is some lifestyle changes and diet control. Exercise and diet can go a long way in controlling blood pressure. If you choose medications, make sure to use the safer alternative of organic supplements.