{"id":1206,"date":"2017-11-14T06:40:59","date_gmt":"2017-11-14T06:40:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/?p=1206"},"modified":"2021-03-15T18:21:41","modified_gmt":"2021-03-15T18:21:41","slug":"15-effective-ways-control-high-blood-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.today\/15-effective-ways-control-high-blood-pressure\/","title":{"rendered":"15 Effective Ways to Control Your High Blood Pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"If you\u2019re struggling with high blood pressure, then it can be useful to reflect on precisely what this means and why it is so important that you do something about it.<\/p>\n

High blood pressure means that the amount of pressure in your closed system \u2013 your cardiovascular system \u2013 is too great.<\/p>\n

This in turn means that the blood is too densely packed inside the blood vessels in order to move around them freely and easily. This can be a result of high blood viscosity (meaning the blood is thick and sticky) or it can mean that the veins themselves are too narrow. It might also mean that the heartrate is very high resulting in too much pressure being generated.<\/p>\n

Imagine a balloon that is being pumped full of more and more air. This is basically what\u2019s going on and eventually, we all know what happens to that balloon: it bursts!<\/p>\n

In this case, you can end up suffering from a heart attack or a stroke and this is why it\u2019s so important that you do something about this.<\/p>\n

Fortunately, there are plenty of lifestyle changes and other methods you can use to immediately solve this issue. Here are 15 of them.<\/p>\n

1. Take an Aspirin<\/h3>\n

In the short term, one of the best things you can do in order to improve your blood pressure is to take an aspirin<\/a>. This is a pain medication and so it can help to manage some of the side effects of high blood pressure such as headache.<\/p>\n

However, the real benefit here comes from the fact that aspirin is a blood thinner. This means it can counter the effects of having thick, viscous blood and make it much thinner and much more able to flow easily around your circulatory system.<\/p>\n

The same things also goes for Ibuprofen.<\/p>\n

\"\"2. Try Beets<\/h3>\n

Another option is to try beets \u2013 or beetroot juice. This is a substance that is well known to be a vasodilator<\/a>. A vasodilator is anything that widens the blood vessels and that thereby can help to allow the blood to flow more freely. This happens due to the high quality of nitric oxide that is found inside beets.<\/p>\n

Beets have not only been shown to be effective at lowering blood pressure but they have also been shown to be highly useful for improving athletic performance \u2013 even being used by many athletes to help them run further and faster!<\/p>\n

\"\"3. Garlic<\/h3>\n

While we\u2019re on the topic of natural vasodilators, another particularly good option is garlic<\/a>. Garlic is similarly known for its ability to open up the blood vessels and to improve blood flow and oxygen delivery. This actually makes it a very good substance for those of you that spend a lot of time in the gym as once again, it delivers more oxygen and blood to the muscles.<\/p>\n

Garlic has a ton of other benefits too. It\u2019s amazing for your digestive health and it also actually has a lot of benefit when it comes to combating bacteria and infections.<\/p>\n

\"\"4. Try NO2<\/h3>\n

Here\u2019s another one that you might not be highly familiar with. NO2 is nitric oxide<\/a> in supplement form, meaning that it is highly effective at working as a vasodilator. This is used by a host of different athletes and in particular: bodybuilders.<\/p>\n

NO2 is able to deliver more oxygen and nutrients to the muscles and to the brain thanks to its ability to open up the blood vessels. This means it might also be effective as a means of fighting hypertension.<\/p>\n

Just make sure that you check first with your GP and be careful to avoid any NO2 products that contain caffeine or other stimulants.<\/p>\n

\"\"5. Improve Your Sleep<\/h3>\n

Poor sleep is a common cause of high blood pressure. If you aren\u2019t sleeping properly then this means you\u2019ll wake up unrested and unrecovered. That in turn means that you will likely feel worse and this often includes high blood pressure<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, the reason that you feel so rough when you\u2019ve had only a couple of hours of sleep is because your body is stressed. It knows something is wrong and thus you are in physiological distress.<\/p>\n

\"\"6. Check for Apnea<\/h3>\n

\u2018But my sleep is just fine!\u2019 you protest. Well, perhaps you might think it is: but can you be completely sure?<\/p>\n

Sleep apnea<\/a> is a condition that causes you to wake intermittently for stints throughout the night. The issue is that these periods of wakefulness are so brief as to be almost undetectable. This can lead to you thinking you slept well but waking up feeling worse than when you went to bed!<\/p>\n

The solution is to have someone check your sleep for you and observe you while you rest. Failing that, try visiting a sleep clinic.<\/p>\n

\"\"7. Consume Magnesium<\/h3>\n

The DASH diet is often recommended for those with hypertension and this essentially consists of magnesium<\/a>, potassium and calcium rich foods, all while reducing your intake of sodium.<\/p>\n

Increasing magnesium can help you to improve your electrolyte balance and help your blood to flow more smoothly around your circulatory system. At the same time though, consuming more magnesium will also help to make your body more restful and relaxed.<\/p>\n

When you consume magnesium, your neurochemical balance will be more inclined toward relaxation and calm, while your muscles will also relax and feel heavier \u2013 helping you off to sleep. Magnesium threonate in particular is ideal before bed.<\/p>\n

\"\"8. Eat Dark Chocolate<\/h3>\n

There are a few reasons that dark chocolate<\/a> is an ideal option for lowering blood pressure. Firstly, dark chocolate increases levels of the love hormone oxytocin. Like other endorphins, this is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, meaning it reduces brain activity and slows the brain waves.<\/p>\n

It puts you in a more relaxed state and is therefore ideal for combating hypertension.<\/p>\n

At the same time though, dark chocolate is also rich in epicatechin, which we\u2019ll discuss in the next entry\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"9. Apples<\/h3>\n

Apples. They\u2019re high in vitamin C<\/a>, which is a highly potent antioxidant and perfect for making you feel at ease and happy. This converts to melatonin and helps you to rest.<\/p>\n

At the same time, it\u2019s great for boosting your immune system, while also being high in soluble fiber.<\/p>\n

But what\u2019s more is that epicatechin. Like beets and like garlic, epicatechin is a vasodilator which will help you to open up and widen the blood vessels, to thereby allow more blood and oxygen to flow through your system with lower pressure.<\/p>\n

\"\"10. Weight Loss<\/h3>\n

Losing weight is an ideal way to feel fitter and healthier and to improve many aspects of your health. Because you\u2019ll be losing weight, your body will have to work less hard in order to get the blood around your system.<\/p>\n

At the same time, weight loss also correlates with many other improvements in health such as improved cardiovascular<\/a> health etc.<\/p>\n

But there are specific aspects of weight loss and cardiovascular health that can really make the biggest difference. These include\u2026<\/p>\n

\"\"11. Visceral Fat<\/h3>\n

Subcutaneous fat<\/a> is the fat stored beneath your layer of skin. This makes you look less defined and it\u2019s the first kind we often want to get rid of.<\/p>\n

But visceral fat is the real problem. This is the kind of fat that is found around the belly and is what contributes to a larger waistline. This is the most serious type of fat in that it more greatly increases your likelihood of high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

It also puts you more at risk of a range of other health problems too, which is why it\u2019s so important that you do something about it.<\/p>\n

\"\"12. Resting Heart Rate<\/h3>\n

Your heart rate and your blood pressure are closely linked. The faster your heart beats and the harder, the more it will increase pressure. If your heart is weak, then of course it will need to pump harder in order to move the same amount of blood around the same distance. It will also need to pump faster and the body will respond by being more stressed<\/a> and taxed.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, if your heart is very strong, then it can pump in a gentle manner to move blood around your system and you will feel calmer. The resting heart rate is what is most important here then and this can be improved through steady state cardio alone.<\/p>\n

Long runs and long bike rides increase the size of the left ventricle, meaning it can hold more blood and pump the blood around your body more easily.<\/p>\n

\"\"13. Reduce Stress<\/h3>\n

One of the absolute best things you can do to improve your health in general and blood pressure in particular, is to reduce stress. Stress is responsible for so many of our health issues as it increases the heart rate, elevates numerous negative hormones<\/a> and neurotransmitters and even actually causes our blood to thicken.<\/p>\n

It does this so that if we should be injured in a fight or when fleeing danger, we will clot and not bleed out. However, over the long term it can cause chronically high blood pressure.<\/p>\n

\"\"14. Meditate<\/h3>\n

Changing your lifestyle to reduce stress is one of the best things you can do to fight high blood pressure. This might mean moving to somewhere with a lower pace of life, it might mean changing jobs.<\/p>\n

But the best thing you can do in any circumstance is to take up meditation. Meditation<\/a> involves resting your mind and learning to take charge of where your thoughts go. This is focussed attention and it has countless benefits for your mood and your health.<\/p>\n

Because it gives you a way to \u2018switch off\u2019 from stress, it offers a way for you to relax your body and let your blood pressure subside.<\/p>\n

\"\"15. Avoid BPA<\/h3>\n

There are many lesser known triggers for hypertension<\/a> and part of the key is to recognize all of them and to avoid them however you can. Avoiding BPA is one such good piece of advice.<\/p>\n

This is a chemical found in many plastics \u2013 like plastic bottles and lunch boxes \u2013 and it has been shown to have numerous negative health consequences.<\/p>\n

Not only does it increase blood pressure, it also reduces testosterone levels!<\/p>\n\r\n

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