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High blood pressure, medically referred to as hypertension is one of the leading causes of early deaths in the world. In the US, for instance, almost 500,000 deaths included high blood pressure as a major cause in 2018. What is even more concerning is that hypertension can lead to several life-threatening conditions like a heart attack.
When you have hypertension, you might be in need a lifetime medication, which is costly. You will also need to visit your doctor regularly to check your condition.
Despite the threat and challenges of hypertension, you can always change your lifestyle to prevent it. It only needs a great amount of self-discipline to follow a healthier lifestyle. In this article, we will give you 10 ways to normalize your blood pressure without taking any medications. So, let us get started!
1. Lose Weight
Being overweight is associated with high blood pressure. As you gain weight, your blood pressure can also rise. Having extra weight for a long period can even increase your risk of hypertension. It can also disrupt your breathing while sleeping, which can increase blood pressure further.Considering the reasons above, it is important to reduce your weight. Even a small amount of weight reduction can already help lower your blood pressure. To help you lose weight, you can do the following:
- Avoid processed foods and sweets.
- Observe mindfulness when eating.
- Consult a dietician to help you lose weight further.
- Drink water when you are thirsty, not soda or any processed beverages.
- Add more green vegetables to your meals.
- Eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner on time.
2. Perform Regular Exercise
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You can start with a 30-minute exercise each day. Walking outside, jogging, or even doing household chores are great forms of exercise. As your body gets used to exercising, you can increase the intensity and time. You can include strength training twice each week and increase your time to one hour or more.
Make sure to continuously perform exercise. Stopping from it can increase your blood pressure again. If you already have hypertension, exercising can decrease your blood pressure to a normal level.
3. Eat Healthily
Your diet is also a major factor in helping decrease your blood pressure. If you eat healthy meals, you can keep a healthy weight. What this means is you will not be overweight and will lower your risk of hypertension.Each meal should have the right amounts of protein, healthy fats, and carbs. Increase your consumption of leafy green vegetables as they provide the highest levels of nutrients.
You can also plan your meals one week ahead. This helps you keep track of what you eat. Also, when buying groceries, read labels to avoid artificial flavors, added sugars, and trans fat. These ingredients can provide negative health effects to your body, such as gaining an unhealthy weight.
4. Minimize Sodium Consumption
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What you should do is read labels when doing groceries to avoid foods with high amounts of sodium. You should also avoid processed foods as they have high amounts of sodium as well. It's also helpful to use spices and herbs to add flavor to your recipes instead of salt.
5. Limit Alcohol Consumption
Drinking alcoholic beverages can be both good and bad for you. In moderation, this can be a good drink. However, if you drink too much, you will increase the risk of hypertension. Binge drinking can cause temporary spikes on your blood pressure. When you often do this, it can lead to hypertension.You can drink moderately by following these guidelines:
- 1 drink per day for women
- 1 drink per day for older men (65 years old and above)
- 2 drinks per day for men younger than 65 years old
- A drink equals to 12 oz of beer or 5 oz of wine.
6. Stop Smoking
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The process of stopping smoking may not be easy. You should ask for professional help to completely quit from it.
7. Lower Stress
Stress can contribute to developing high blood pressure. When you are in stressful situations, your body releases hormones that temporarily cause blood pressure spikes. When there is chronic stress, this scenario keeps happening, which can lead to long-term high blood pressure.To help you lower stress, think about what causes it in the first place. Once you know the cause, you will know how to control stress. You can try these activities to help manage stress:
- Do relaxation techniques such as yoga and deep breathing.
- Practice gratitude to make you feel better.
- Get enough sleep every day.
- Avoid working too much.
- Take regular breaks from work.
- Spend more time with family and friends.
- Avoid people that trigger your stress.
- Learn how to accept things beyond your control.
8. Do Self-Monitoring at Home
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There are many available blood pressure monitors on the market you can try. However, it can get confusing on which ones to use. You should look for high-quality products that provide accurate measurements.
One brand you can try that promises products with superior performance is Raycome. They design their blood pressure monitors using smart technologies, so you can ensure premium quality. If in need , visit www.raycome.com, to know more about their offers!
