How to Lower Blood Pressure
Preventative Measure to Take When You Have an Elevated Reading
If your blood pressure reading is "elevated", don't panic. Instead, consider it a wake-up call to improve your health before it's too late.
Maybe you’ve never had anything but a normal blood pressure reading until now. And then, your doctor assured you that your blood pressure reading is “elevated” and not considered high enough to be placed on blood pressure medication. Before you have to take drugs for high blood pressure, why not make some lifestyle changes to not only keep you from taking blood pressure drugs, but to improve your overall health.
Rather than panicking, consider an elevated blood pressure reading a wakeup call to do something about your health before it’s too late. If not addressed, an elevated reading can lead to heart disease, kidney disease, hardening of the arteries, eye damage, and even a stroke.
What is High Blood Pressure?
Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure refers to the amount of pressure (or tension) in the arteries. A blood pressure reading below 120/80 is considered normal. Blood pressure between 120/80 and 139/89 is labeled pre-hypertension, while a blood pressure reading of 140/90 or above is believed to be high.
The Top and Bottom Numbers
The top number of a blood pressure reading (also known as the systolic blood pressure) measures the pressure in the arteries as your heart pumps blood and then contracts into the arteries. The diastolic pressure (or the bottom number) stands for the lowest pressure to which the arteries are exposed.
Steps for Lowering Blood Pressure
- Lose weight---As you put on more weight your blood pressure rises. Just by losing only ten pounds, you can lower your blood pressure. Although there are scores of diets from which to choose, losing weight is simply “eating less and moving more.” Join a reputable weight loss program such as Weight Watchers where you can learn to eat healthy by making wise choices from all the food groups .
- Limit salt and sodium intake---You probably consume more salt than you need. A good guideline is to consume less than 2.4 grams (or 2,400 milligrams) of sodium daily. In other words, this is about one teaspoon of table salt a day. Try to stay away from canned foods which are loaded with sodium, but if you do use them, select brands labeled "no-salt." As salt makes your body retain water, it also hinders weight loss.
- Exercise---Move more. Find a physical activity that you enjoy and do it on a regular basis. Besides lowering your blood pressure, staying active also reduces your chances of stroke and heart disease.
- Quit smoking---Besides injuring your blood vessel walls, smoking also can lead to hardening of the arteries. If you’ve smoked for years, it isn’t easy to quit. But find a way to stop if you don’t want to die young. Ask your doctor for help, as well as find support from others who have conquered the smoking habit.
- Reduce stress---If you’re highly stressed, your blood pressure may be affected. When you feel tense over situations, take steps to relax your body. If necessary, you may need to seek professional help to reduce the stress in your life.
After following these steps on a regular basis, have your blood pressure tested again to see if there’s an improvement. Hopefully your elevated reading will change to a normal one. However, if you still have a problem, then don’t be afraid to go on blood pressure medications recommend by your doctor.
