High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a serious problem which may lead to other health problems. It is estimated that around one in three adult Americans have high blood pressure – but as hypertension has no symptoms it is also estimated that around 40% of sufferers arecompletely unaware that they have a problem. Clearly it is sensible to have your blood pressure checked by a medical professional on a regular basis.

There are many very effective drugs available to control blood pressure, but these may have side effects and there will always be some unfortunate sufferers who do not respond to medication. However, there are a number of simple steps which can be taken to lower high blood pressure without the use of drugs and many of these have other health benefits also.

Weight reduction is, for many people, the first step in reducing moderate to mild hypertension. Combined with regular aerobic exercise – e.g., jogging, walking – this can be extremely effective. Regular light exercise improves blood flow and helps to reduce both resting heart rate and blood pressure.

Reducing the amount of sugar contained in your diet will often help to lower high blood pressure.

Another relatively easy dietary modification that has been proven to be highly effective in reducing hypertension is the reduction of the amount of salt ingested. This one measure will be effective for around 60% of hypertension sufferers. There’s no need to have a bland diet – salt substitutes can be used as an effective means of instantly reducing salt intake.

Additional changes to the diet which may be effective in reducing hypertension include the adoption of the DASH diet. This is rich in fruit, vegetables and low fat or fat free dairy foods. It has been shown to be effective based on studies carried out in the USA.

Boosting the level of calcium in your diet has the effect of raising dietary potassium which can, in theory, counterbalance the effect of sodium and act upon the kidney to lower blood pressure.

Quitting smoking has been shown to lower blood pressure. The exact mechanism is not fully understood but it is known that blood pressure always increases transiently following nicotine consumption. Stopping smoking has many further health /advantages in addition to reduced hypertension.

Lowering alcohol intake has also been shown to lower blood pressure. As with stopping smoking, it has many other health benefits and should be considered by anyone wishing to improve their health in general.

Lowering stress levels can also benefit many high blood pressure sufferers. Avoidance of stressful situations can be effective. Relaxation therapy and meditation can also help. New devices, e.g. resperate, utilize paced breathing techniques which have been proven to reduce hypertension if used on a regular basis.

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