5 Natural Ways To Lower Your Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can put you at risk for a range of health problems, the most serious of which include heart attack or stroke. There are medications that can lower blood pressure, but these can also cause unwanted side effects. Your doctor may recommend that you try to lower your blood pressure by changing your habits and lifestyle before prescribing medication. Here are some recommendations that doctors are likely to make.

1. Walking Regularly

Excess weight is a risk factor for high blood pressure, and regular exercise can help reduce it. Some people think that running is the best exercise that you can do. However, walking is actually much better because it helps improve your circulation in the same way that running does without putting the same pressure on your joints. You do not need to take a long walk to improve your blood pressure levels. You should see improvement with only 15 minutes of brisk walking per day.

2. Monitoring Sodium Intake

You may think that you are doing enough to control your sodium levels by not adding any extra salt to your food. Though this may not compound the problem, it is not really solving it. Most foods have at least some sodium. You are most likely to find it in processed foods and fast food in which salt acts as a preservative and a flavoring agent. Keeping a watch on nutritional information to decrease sodium levels can help to lower your blood pressure.

3. Avoiding Caffeine

Research demonstrates that caffeine causes a dramatic spike in blood pressure shortly after consuming it. Regular caffeine consumption may cause some people to develop blood pressure that is higher than average. It is not entirely clear why caffeine causes blood pressure to rise. It could be because it increases adrenaline or blocks a hormone that widens arteries. Whatever the reason, caffeine is proven to increase blood pressure, so abstaining from caffeinated beverages may help to lower it.

4. Reducing Alcohol Intake

There have been some reports that moderate alcohol consumption may decrease your risk of certain health problems, such as diabetes, stroke, or heart attack. However, alcohol can also interfere with the effectiveness of some blood pressure medications, and overindulgence may lead to unwanted weight gain, which increases high blood pressure risk. If you choose to drink alcohol, keep in mind what is considered a "drink":

• 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits
• 5 fluid ounces of wine
• 12 fluid ounces of beer

Limit yourself to only one to two drinks per day to prevent high blood pressure.

5. Manage Stress

Everyone experiences stress once in a while, but prolonged levels of high stress can have profoundly negative effects on both your psychological and physical health. Effective stress management techniques include those that improve the mind-body connection, such as deep breathing, yoga, or meditation.

In the long run, it is much easier and better for you to prevent illness than to treat it after it occurs. A health insurance plan obtained through a health insurance broker in Santa Rosa allows you to see your doctor for regular checkups. For more information on how to obtain individual coverage, contact us at Sackett Associates Insurance Services by calling 707-823-3689.