Natural Cure For Hypertension

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

One of the very effective lifestyle change for someone who is over weight and also suffering from hypertension, is to shed a few pounds. Losing weight even in small measure can have dramatic effects in lowering your blood pressure. A lot of experts prefer using pharmaceutical drugs while prescribing a weight loss programme in order to treat high blood pressure. The best and safest way to maintain your blood pressure is to eat right. Normal blood pressure is 120/80 and should not exceed the count of 140/90 in order to stay fit and free from strokes and heart attacks. Food like garlic, vegetables, fruits play a very important role in maintaining blood pressure.

Garlic: Garlic dilates the muscles of blood vessels, which helps in lowering blood pressure. It consists of a compound called adenosine which helps in vaso dilation and is also a muscle relaxant. Although, both raw and cooked garlic can benefit blood pressure, raw garlic is more potent and benefits faster. Garlic also interferes with the formation of blood clots and helps in reducing cholesterol. It not only helps lower the risk of colon, gastro intestinal tract and stomach cancers but also improves immunity and prevents gas formation. To get these numerous effects of garlic, all you have to do is finely chop 3-4 cloves of raw garlic and gulp it down with warm water or just extract the juice and drink it. And don't worry about the strong smell of garlic. People believe that garlic results in body odour, but it's not true. 

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Garlic

Fruits and Vegetables: Fruits and vegetables have certain remarkable properties that have a magical effect on blood pressure. Research studies show that switching to a vegetarian diet lowers blood pressure. Fruits are concentrated with potassium, Vitamin C and loads of soluble fibre, all of which contribute to lowering blood pressure. Apart from this, fruits are low in sodium, which favours lowering of blood pressure. People who eat little or no fruits are prone to high blood pressure. Fruits are the best source of natural vitamin C. Make sure you eat fruits everyday to get your daily dose of vitamin C. Although, synthetic vitamin tablets do help to a certain extent, fruits have other properties which in unison lower blood pressure. 

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Fruits and Vegetables

Potassium: Studies show that a potassium rich diet lowers blood pressure and one deficient in potassium increases blood pressure. In addition to a low potassium intake, excess salt intake could also lead to hypertension. In order to get the right amount of potassium, increase intake of foods like bananas, watermelon, potatoes, tomatoes, oranges, spinach, skimmed milk, soya bean, and almonds. Eating three to six servings of these foods would ensure sufficient potassium intake and regulate blood pressure. 

Calcium: Some experts feel that hypertension is more likely due to calcium deficiency rather than due to excess sodium. They feel that consuming adequate calcium rich foods like milk, curd, spinach, leafy vegetables, Kabuli chana (Chick peas), Rajma, Matki, Jowar, Bajri and Nachini can neutralize the hypertensive effect of excess sodium. 

Fish: has always been considered health food. Fish oils are known to maintain blood pressure. Consuming fish like Mackerel (Bangada), Tuna and Surmai at least thrice a week will help you reduce your daily dose of medicines.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Fish

But, health benefits that can be derived from minor changes in eating patterns will be effective only if you follow them as a part of your daily routine. Weight loss coupled with an intake of fruits, vegetables and fish is the key treatment for anyone suffering from high blood pressure. Avoiding excess salt & alcohol will help tremendously in achieving good results. In other words, it requires a change in lifestyle, eating habits and sheer determination to work towards perfect health.

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Maintaining Healthy Blood Pressure with Mila

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

Mila seed is a great whole grain food to include in a heart healthy diet. The seed comes from a plant in the mint family and is well-known for its high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. In fact, mila seed has 7 to 8 times more omega-3s than farmed or wild salmon.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Mila

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3s are considered essential fatty acids that we need to consume daily. They help to prevent heart disease, lower high blood pressure, decrease the risk of heart attack, improve arthritis, enhance memory, aid in mood, raise good cholesterol, and much more. Mila seed is densely packed with omega-3s, making it one of the healthiest and most effective ways to maintain a healthy blood pressure. The seed will help to unclog arteries and open up blood vessels to allow greater blood flow. The result is improvements in blood pressure level and a heart that works less hard to pump blood.

High Levels of Nutrients

It’s not only packed with omega-3s, but with many other nutrients as well. Mila has 5 times more calcium than milk, 2 times more iron than spinach, 14 times more magnesium than broccoli, 3 times more selenium than flaxseed, 8 times more phosphorus than whole milk, and more antioxidants than blueberries.

More Mila Facts

Mila, a seed high in protein and fiber, is also gluten-free, non-GMO or genetically modified, usually organic, and sugar-free. Additionally, the grain has a perfect 3:1 ratio of omega-3 to omega-6. Omega-6s are usually found in whole grain foods like bread. The seed can also hold enough water to help keep bodies hydrated with electrolytes. 

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How to Maintain Stress and Lower High Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

Heart disease is the leading cause of deaths in North America and Europe. But if a little effort is made towards maintaining a healthy heart and a healthy lifestyle, heart disease can be prevented in most cases. There are some very basic preventive measures that can cut down the risk of heart disease substantially, as follows:

Do not smoke

Cigarette smoking and other forms of tobacco consumption is the single most important factor that leads to heart ailments. To ensure a healthy heart, it is imperative to stay away from smoking at all times. And if one is already a smoker, it is advisable to quit smoking completely.

Even “light” smoking with low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes is dangerous for the heart. There is no acceptable level of smoking, and the best preventive measure is to avoid it completely. Even second hand or indirect smoking exposure is risky in the long run.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Do not smoke

Tobacco smoke contains nearly five thousand harmful chemical substances, many of which are bad for the heart and blood vessels. Some of these substances have a tendency to deposit inside the arterial walls as they are not soluble with blood. Eventually, they lead to constriction or hardening of the arteries, an increased blood pressure, and malfunctioning of the heart due to extra exertion in pumping blood.

Maintain an active lifestyle

Regular physical exercise helps to maintain a healthy heart. The heart rate increases during physical exercise, providing movement to the heart muscles, and supply of fresh, oxygenated blood to the blood vessels. This flexibility of the heart muscles and tissues helps the heart to pump more blood with less amount of effort.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Maintain an active lifestyle

Moderate physical exercise for at least half an hour a day for at least 5 days in a week is recommended for maintaining a healthy heart.

Follow a healthy and balanced diet

A diet that is enriched with fibrous foods such as fruit, vegetables and whole grain products is good for the heart. The consumption of fats must be minimum, red meats and dairy products that are high in fat content must be avoided. Bakery products and packaged or processed foods should be avoided as they are high in trans fat content, which increases the bad cholesterol (LDL) levels.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Follow a healthy and balanced diet

Salt intake must be controlled, and items like nuts, legumes and fish should be added to the diet for improving the levels of good cholesterol (HDL) in the blood.

Maintain a healthy body weight

Excessive weight, especially in the abdominal region, can put extra pressure on the heart. Over-weight also increases the blood pressure, and increase the LDL cholesterol levels, putting heart under more stress while pumping blood.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Maintain a healthy body weight

Undergo regular medical check-ups

Periodical health check-ups and tests can keep a track of the body’s blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other vital symptoms that can indicate the correct condition of the heart. This can help in prevention of the disease, if corrective measures are taken in time.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Undergo regular medical check-ups

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5 Drug-Free Ways to Control High Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

We do know that high blood pressure can cause heart disease. But it does not stop there. This silent killer has been liked to serious conditions such as heart attack, stroke, dementia, and kidney failure, among others. It is, in fact, the No. 1 killer in America, affecting almost 25 percent of the population, according to extensive research conducted at the University of New Mexico.

The good news is that high blood pressure can be kept in check, and it need not always be done using drugs. Here are some tried and tested ways to maintain healthy blood pressure:

Eat almonds: Almonds are low in sodium, which is notorious for sending up blood pressure. At the same time, they area rich source of potassium, which helps the heart muscles contract and nerve transmissions strong. The result of this improved heart function is that your blood pressure does not get a chance to rise above normal levels. Two ounces or one quarter cup of almonds daily is the perfect amount to consume, say nutritionists .

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Eat almonds

Drink coconut water: A study  published in the West Indian Medical Journal shows that its potassium, magnesium, and Vitamin C content make it a very heart-healthy drink. The best coconut water comes from young coconuts, which can be found in health stores and international markets.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Drink coconut water

Cook with turmeric: results of a study published in the Nutrition Journal conclusively showed that 80 mg of turmeric per day significantly lowered high blood pressure. Not only that, the curcumin in turmeric was seen to lower the risk of liver disease and Alzheimer’s too. Time to reach out for that bowl of curry!

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Cook with turmeric

Move more:  If you exercise regularly, you are unlikely to suffer from high blood pressure. Here’s why: Regular physical activity makes your heart stronger. A stronger heart can pump more blood with less effort. If your heart can work less to pump, the force on your arteries decreases, lowering your blood pressure. Moderate intensity exercise performed for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week is adequate for helping you maintain both systolic and diastolic blood pressure, say experts .

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Move more

Sing in the shower. Pummel a pillow when you’re angry. Dance. Let your stress find release, but in harmless ways. When you are feeling stressed, your heart starts beating faster. As a result, your blood vessels narrow, and blood pressure shoots up. Prolonged stress can cause long-term hypertension. So, try and be mindful of your stress, and find ways to deal with it before it sets in too deep. I find watching a comedy show or spending time with children very efficient ways of reducing stress.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Sing in the shower

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Eight Foods That Help Lower Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

Skim Milk

It truly does a body good! Drinking heart-healthy skim milk or 1 percent milk will provide you with calcium and vitamin D — the two nutrients work as a team to help reduce blood pressure by 3 to 10 percent. Although this doesn’t sound like much, it could add up to about a 15 percent reduction in risk for cardiovascular disease.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Skim Milk

Spinach

A green leafy delight, spinach is low in calories, high in fiber, and packed with heart-healthy nutrients like potassium, folate, and magnesium — key ingredients for lowering and maintaining blood pressure levels. An easy way to eat more of this great green? Try mixing fresh spinach leaves into salads or adding them to sandwiches.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Spinach

Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

Sunflower seeds are also a great source of magnesium. A quarter cup of these makes a nutritious snack — but be sure to buy them unsalted, since salted sunflower seeds are high in sodium, which you want to avoid.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Unsalted Sunflower Seeds

Beans

Nutritious and versatile, beans (including black, white, navy, lima, pinto, and kidney) are chock-full of soluble fiber, magnesium, and potassium, all excellent ingredients for lowering blood pressure and improving overall heart health. Add beans to your favorite salads, soups, or wraps; as a bonus, they’re pretty inexpensive.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Beans

Baked White Potato

Potatoes are rich in both magnesium and potassium, two vital nutrients for heart health. When potassium is low, the body retains extra sodium (and too much sodium raises blood pressure). On the other hand, when you eat a potassium-rich diet, the body becomes more efficient at getting rid of excess sodium. Like potassium, magnesium is also a key player in promoting healthy blood flow. Therefore, maintaining a healthy balance of both minerals   can help keep high blood pressure at bay.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Baked White Potato

Bananas

This functional fruit is packed with potassium, so it’s a great choice for an on-the-go snack. Add a banana to your breakfast (my Strawberry-Banana Cottage Cheese With Almonds makes a great morning meal) or for an evening treat, slice a banana into several half-inch wheels, place them in a small plastic bag, and freeze. Frozen bananas — yum!

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Bananas

Soybeans

Soybeans are another excellent source of potassium and magnesium. Look for soybeans in the pod (edamame) in the freezer case at your grocery store; for a healthy snack, boil one cup and pop them directly out of the shell into your mouth. If you miss the salt, lightly sprinkle with salt substitute.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Soybeans

Dark Chocolate

Hooray for dark chocolate! Eating about 30 calories a day of dark chocolate — just one tiny square — was shown to help lower blood pressure after 18 weeks without weight gain or other adverse effects, according to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Choose dark chocolate consisting of at least 70 percent cocoa powder. Because chocolate is also high in calories, you’ll want to be very careful not to overdo it.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Dark Chocolate

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9 Ways To Avoid High Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

High blood pressure is just one of the symptoms of heart disease. However, studies show that lowering your blood pressure (or keeping it lower, in the first place) may help individuals avoid serious long-term heart complications. There are many things you can do to avoid high blood pressure. A few simple things include exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy diet and reducing stress. Here are several suggestions for how to avoid high blood pressure.

1. Keep your weight within a healthy range. By maintaining a healthy weight, your waist is trimmed down, too. Experts claim that a large waist circumference can be a predictor of high blood pressure and heart disease. Studies show that waist measurements of 40 inches (102 cm) or more for men, 32 inches (88 cm) or more for women, 36 inches (90 cm) or more for Asian men and 25 inches (80 cm) or more for Asian women are linked to heart disease. Keep your weight and waist measurements down.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Keep your weight within a healthy range

2. Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy blood pressure. Doctors recommend 30 to 60 minutes of exercise each day. Consult your physician before starting any exercise plan.

Exercise regularly to maintain a healthy blood pressure

3. Maintain a healthy diet. Incorporate vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy products into your daily diet. Keep a food diary to track what you eat. Doctors recommend eating foods rich in potassium to help lower blood pressure, because they help to reduce the effects of salt on your body. Also, avoid consuming junk food.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Maintain a healthy diet

4. Decrease the amount of salt you consume. Dietitians indicate that 1,500 to 2,400 mg of salt is all that you really need each day. To reduce salt intake, read food labels closely, cut back on processed foods, and use spices and herbs to season your food instead of salt.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Decrease the amount of salt you consume

5. Reduce your alcohol intake. Experts recommend that two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women are acceptable alcohol consumption levels. If you drink more than this, scale back your alcohol consumption or substitute a non-alcoholic beverage for an alcoholic one.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Reduce your alcohol intake

6. Stop the use of all tobacco products. Also, avoid secondhand smoke.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Stop the use of all tobacco products

7. Limit your caffeine intake. Studies show that caffeine can cause instant blood pressure spikes. Drink no more than two cups (200 mg) of coffee per day.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Limit your caffeine intake

8. Make efforts to reduce or eliminate stress in your life. Blood pressure is directly impacted by stress. If you can't lead a less stressful life, use methods that help to reduce stress, such as yoga, self-help books, meditation, deep relaxation techniques or mental health counseling.

Make efforts to reduce or eliminate stress in your life

9. Nip problems in the bud. If your blood pressure is occasionally high, but not that way every time you go to the doctor, you may still have a problem. Studies indicate that occasional high blood pressure can be a sign of a chronic problem in the future. Discuss this with your doctor. By catching any problems now, you may be able to alleviate problems in the future.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Nip problems in the bud

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Eight Tips to Prevent High Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

While high blood pressure (also know as hypertension) is a serious health problem, there’s good news. No matter what your age or physical condition, there are things you can do to prevent high blood pressure.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers these 8 tips to help you prevent high blood pressure, or reduce your blood pressure if it’s already a problem.

1. Are you overweight? Lose weight.

Maintaining a healthy weight (see your doctor about this) will help prevent high blood pressure.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Lose weight

Getting back to a healthy weight is not as hard as it sounds. You can start by limiting the portion size of your meals and snacks, and cut way back on high calorie foods.

If you eat as many calories as you burn each day, you’ll maintain your weight. Eating fewer calories than you burn will help you lose weight. And losing weight will help lower your blood pressure.

2. When you plan meals, think of your heart.

Choose a diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables. Keep total fat low and avoid foods that are high in saturated fats and cholesterol.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Think of your heart

Having a healthy heart will help prevent blood pressure.

3. Eat less salt and sodium.

Salt and sodium can increase blood pressure, so it’s important to read food labels. The U.S. guidelines suggest limiting sodium intake to no more than 2,400 mg, or about 1 teaspoon of salt each day.

If you eat canned, processed, and convenience foods, buy the brands that are lower in sodium.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Eat less salt and sodium

If you salt your food at the table, try using less, or none. It may take a little while to get used to the new flavors, but you may find that food tastes better when you use less salt.

Fast food can contain a lot of sodium, so if you eat fast food choose items that are lower in salt and sodium. Reducing your salt intake will help to prevent high blood pressure.

4. If you drink alcohol, practice moderation.

The U.S. guidelines recommend that men have no more than 2 drinks per day, and women have no more than one alcoholic beverage per day.

5. Increase your physical activity.

Exercise is a key factor in preventing high blood pressure.

If you get very little exercise now, start slowly and work your way up to at least 30 minutes of a moderate-level activity, such as brisk walking or bicycling, each day. If time is a factor, you’ll still benefit by breaking the 30 minute daily exercise periods into 10 or 15 minute sessions.

6. Stop smoking.

Research shows that smoking increases your chances of developing a heart disease, stroke, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and several forms of cancer.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Stop smoking

7. Talk with your doctor or health care professional. 

Learn what your blood pressure reading means to your health, and if medication is recommended for you to treat or prevent high blood pressure.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Talk with your doctor

8. If your doctor prescribes medication, take it. 

• It’s important to understand:
• what your blood pressure medication is expected to do for you
• how to take your medication, and when
• if your blood pressure medication has any side effects
• if the blood pressure medication is safe to take with any other prescriptions or vitamins you are already taking

If you have high blood pressure and treatment is prescribed, don't be afraid to ask questions or get another medical opinion. Once you understand why you’re taking the medication, follow the recommended dose.

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Keep a Healthy Blood Pressure

(Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure)

Having high blood pressure puts you more at risk for kidney disease.  Keep a healthy blood pressure to help prevent or slow kidney disease.  You will need to:

Check your blood pressure

High blood pressure can damage your kidneys.  Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range can help protect your kidneys and prevent or slow kidney disease.  A heart-healthy diet, exercise and medicines can help you keep a healthy blood pressure.

  

You may need to check your blood pressure on a regular basis to know how you’re doing. 

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Check your blood pressure

Checking your blood pressure at home

Your doctor may suggest that you check your blood pressure at home.  The easiest way to do this is with a digital blood pressure monitor.  You can get a monitor from your local drug store, hospital, clinic or online.  Your doctor can help you find a monitor that is right for you.  Many pharmacies also have in-store monitors that you can use for free.

Your blood pressure monitor will come with directions for how to check your blood pressure.  Take your monitor to your next doctor visit so that your doctor can help make sure you are using it correctly.  

When you check your blood pressure, your result will be given as two numbers.  Both numbers are important.

• The first or top number is your systolic pressure.  This is when your heart is beating and your blood pressure is at its highest.
• The second or bottom number is your diastolic pressure.  This is when your heart is between beats and your blood pressure is at its lowest.

For most people, a normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 or “120 over 80.”  If either number is high, your blood pressure is high.  Ask your doctor what your blood pressure should be.

Eat a heart-healthy diet

What you eat can affect your blood pressure.  Pick foods low in salt (sodium) and fat to help keep your blood pressure in a healthy range.  Use these tips to get started:

- Limit salt

• Do not add salt to your food when cooking or eating.  Try cooking with fresh herbs, lemon juice or other spices.
• Choose fresh or frozen vegetables instead of canned vegetables.  If you do use canned vegetables, rinse them before eating or cooking with them to remove extra salt.
• Shop for items that say “reduced-sodium” or “low-sodium.”
• Avoid processed foods like frozen dinners and lunch meats.
• Limit fast food and salty snacks, like chips, pretzels and salted nuts.

- Limit fat

• Choose lean meats or fish.  Remove the skin and trim the fat off your meats before you cook them.
• Bake, grill or broil your foods instead of frying them.
• Shop for fat-free and low-fat dairy products, salad dressing and mayonnaise.
• Try olive oil or canola oil instead of vegetable oil.
• Choose egg whites or egg substitute rather than whole eggs.

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Eat a heart healthy diet

Ask about blood pressure medicine

If changes to your lifestyle are not enough to control your blood pressure, your doctor may prescribe a blood pressure medicine. There are many types of blood pressure medicines, and you may need to be on more than one medicine to control your blood pressure. Whichever medicine(s) you use, the most important thing is getting your blood pressure into a healthy range.

ACE inhibitors and ARBs are two types of blood pressure medicines that can help protect your kidneys. Ask your doctor if an ACE inhibitor or ARB is right for you. Your doctor might also prescribe a diuretic (also called a “water pill”). This is a type of medicine that helps your body get rid of extra fluid. Having too much fluid in your body can raise your blood pressure.

If your doctor prescribes medicines, take them as directed. Blood pressure medicines need to be taken even when you feel fine. If you have side effects from a medicine, talk to your doctor. He or she may suggest a different medicine that does not have those side effects.

Live a healthy lifestyle

Ways To Maintain Blood Pressure - Limit Alcohol and Coffee

Keeping a healthy blood pressure is key to keeping your kidneys healthy.  You can also help protect your kidneys by following other healthy habits.  Try to:

• Be physically active
• Keep a healthy weight
• Control your cholesterol
• Avoid tobacco
• Limit alcohol

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