Understanding the workings of blood pressure medication means understanding cardiovascular health. This can be a hard concept to understand because there is a lot of science behind it, but none of the answers are always crystal clear. If high blood pressure runs through your family, taking the necessary steps to prevent such a disease from affecting your body is important.
This article will discuss what the cardiovascular system does for you and how to support it with holistic means. So, look at high blood pressure and how to keep your body healthy. Keep in mind it is important for you to control your blood pressure and ensure that it is at a consistent level, and if you experience high levels, you can put yourself at risk for heart attacks.
What is High Blood Pressure?
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition in which the force of your blood against the walls of your arteries is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems. This occurs because your arteries become stiff and inflexible. High blood pressure can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other serious health conditions if left untreated. You can do things to ensure that your blood pressure doesn't become unbalanced. If you take the proper precautions, you can avoid high and low blood pressure and reduce your risk of these health problems. Your healthcare physician can direct you to the right path to prevent these things from happening.
There are a few things that your doctor will take into consideration when making this decision, including your age, medical history, lifestyle habits, and whether or not you have any other medical conditions. These are all the factors that will create a conclusive health program for you. Your functional medicine doctor will give you the immediate lifestyle changes you need to implement to reduce the chance of you having a heart attack or stroke. If you are having other symptoms or risk factors of heart disease, these lifestyle changes will need to be changed immediately to see the necessary changes you need. You can easily avoid diabetes and high cholesterol with a good diet and plenty of exercises. If your symptoms are less prominent, these changes will help prevent the diseases from ever occurring.
Follow your physician's directions very closely to ensure that you make effective changes to your body and health. For example, monitor your blood pressure and watch it change while incorporating the new lifestyle changes.
5 Ways to Lower Blood Pressure.
You don't always need medications to help you battle diseases that attack your body. You can effectively change your lifestyle and feel way better as you do it. Not to mention you are battling diseases in a completely natural way. These five holistic methods help reduce low blood pressure and make sure it maintains at a normal level. Please note any treatment approaches mentioned are not intended and should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and have not been evaluated by the FDA.
Change Your Diet.
Changing the way you eat is the number one way to ensure better health for yourself. Everyone is dependent on microwaving frozen meals and claiming they eat a well-balanced diet. The first step we consider is cutting out processed foods. They are filled with chemicals that your body should not be absorbing and missing key nutrients you need. Alcohol, soft drinks, added sugar, and excess sodium should also be avoided. Instead, you should increase your intake of fruits and vegetables. They are packed with vitamins and nutrients to provide energy for your body. Focus on eating meats that are grass-fed, pasture-raised and raised without the use of chemicals or hormones. Incorporate fish that are high in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids like salmon, mackerel, and sarines. Legumes and complex carbohydrates provide great sources of fiber and protein. Gravitate towards foods that are rich in potassium, magnesium, and calcium, which are generally those that are found on the edges of the grocery store. Fresh, whole foods will provide an unending source of nutrition to stay healthy.
Practice Yoga.
Most people discovering their high blood pressure symptoms turn to exercise. One of the most relaxing ones is yoga. Yoga can provide several different ways to improve blood pressure. It can help to relax blood vessels and make them more flexible. This means your heart can pump at lower pressures to do the same work. When you are experiencing symptoms of high blood pressure, stress may be a trigger. Stress raises your blood pressure through the release of neurotransmitters like adrenaline. Yoga can take you through many moves and flows where your circulation improves and stress levels decrease. Stress isn't good for anyone, and yoga is a tool to become more resilient in the face of stress. Do be sure to discuss with your doctor before starting yoga as some poses may not be safe until your blood pressure is under better control, like backbends and inversions.
Incorporate Herbs.
Herbs are another thing to incorporate into your everyday lifestyle. These are, again, natural compounds that may change your body chemistry for the better, just like how an excessive amount of sugar is bad for you. Cinnamon, garlic, and ginger are great herbs to balance your blood pressure, and they can relax your blood vessels, relax muscles, and increase circulation. Some other options you can incorporate into your new lifestyle are basil, cardamom, hawthorn, celery seed, and lavender. Eating fresh, whole herbs will provide the most nutrient-rich sources. You can add them to your cooking or infuse them as teas. Always be sure to discuss with your doctor or nutritionist before incorporating a new herb into your plan. One of the key pieces of your personalized plan with Index Health includes a nutrition plan that focuses on these key nutrients.
Regular Exercise.
Continuing our conversation from earlier, exercise is important. Get your blood circulation flowing. There is power within a 30-minute walk. Take a walk with friends and turn it into a fun outing. The benefits of getting up and walking around are substantial. Your blood is pumping and your cardiovascular health is improving. If you take a walk in nature, it can also help reduce stress. The key to exercise is to make it fun and enjoyable. Pick activities that you will want to continue doing like walking, hiking, swimming, or biking. Resistance exercise (or strength training) is also incredibly beneficial for improving high blood pressure.
Drink Teas.
Drinking a lot of caffeine may not be beneficial for your body, if you have high blood pressure already. Caffeine causes your blood vessels to tighten, making your blood pressure heighten. Consider drinking decaf instead if you love to indulge in coffee or tea. This way, you are still consuming the flavor and retaining the beneficial compounds found in coffee like flavonoids. Hibiscus tea will help lower high blood pressure; three cups a day was shown to be helpful in a research study done at Tufts University in Boston..
How to Fix High Blood Pressure Naturally.
As stated before, high blood pressure is more common than people think, and high blood pressure can be very serious if not treated appropriately. High blood pressure makes you more susceptible to heart disease, strokes, vision loss, kidney failure, weak bones, and more. So it is important to monitor your blood pressure and ensure you take the right measures to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Now that you know the complications that could happen, let's look at how you can naturally lower your blood pressure.
5 Ways to Lower your Blood Pressure.
These are a few things that you can do to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Changing small things in your diet and routine is one of the best ways to ensure that you are headed in the right direction.
Maintain a Healthy Weight.
Being overweight is the main factor for many diseases, especially high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Extra weight can put a lot of pressure on your heart and cause it to work overtime. Adipose tissue also releases little inflammatory signals to the rest of your body. This can contribute to higher blood pressure as well as insulin resistance and potentially diabetes.That is why it is important to maintain a healthy weight.
Stay Physically Active.
In addition to achieving a healthy weight, exercising is also important. When you stay physically active, you ensure that your heart remains strong. It also improves blood flow and circulation. This is extremely important when it comes to heart health and maintaining a normal blood pressure. You are making your heart stronger, and your blood vessels will respond positively.
Get Efficient Sleep.
Believe it or not, it can also affect your body when you don't get enough or proper sleep. If you don't feel as rested or lack proper energy, this plays a big role in your blood pressure. Getting efficient and restful sleep every night is important. This is the time your body takes to recover. Sleep helps to maintain normal levels of hormones, like melatonin, that affect your blood pressure. If you snore, seek out medical advice because obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of high blood pressure and other heart conditions. Aim for a restful 7 to 8 hours of sleep every night.
Manage Stress.
Stressors occur that we cannot always control. It will have a direct impact on your heart health and blood pressure, though, if left unchecked. If there are areas in your life that you can change to improve your perception of stress, do try to make that change. If that stress is unavoidable, help make yourself more resilient to stress. Try incorporating activities like mindfulness, meditation, or just simply breathing. Pursue hobbies that you enjoy and find a good balance that works for you. Taking just a moment of your day to a few deep breaths can have profound benefits for reducing the hormones and neurotransmitters triggered by stress. This will help reduce your blood pressure. Don't stress about the future; take every day as it comes and goes.
Maintain a Healthy Diet.
Lastly, one of the best things you can do for your body is to give it the proper nutrients that it needs. Fueling your body with nutrient rich food will make it perform at its best. In addition to giving you more energy, it will give your body the proper nutrients and vitamins it needs to fix itself. The vitamins and minerals in fruits and vegetables will help with lowering blood pressure. Adding in foods like blueberries, garlic, mushrooms, celergy, pomegranate, and legumes can be very helpful.
Contact Index Health.
We don't believe medical care should be a mystery to the patient. We're here with you every step to understand our process and the reasoning behind your treatment.
- We dedicate time to understanding your genetics, history, lifestyle, and goals. Combined with advanced lab tests, our functional medicine approach gives you in-depth information about your health and body.
- We identify and address the root cause of disease and plan for prevention and long-term health using functional medicine-based changes in nutrition, lifestyle, and targeted supplements.
- With proactive 30-60 min functional medicine appointments, primary care, unlimited messaging, and mini-visits, we ensure that you achieve your health goals.
