High Blood Pressure Treatments

High Blood Pressure increases your risk of getting a stroke, heart attack, dementia, kidney disease, bone loss, vision problems and impotence. When you have high blood pressure, the blood flows through the arteries with greater than normal force because the vessel walls have been narrowed by plaque or stiffened arteries. When this happens the heart must work harder to pump blood. The high pressure flow of blood can scar the arteries over time worsening the condition. The pressure of blood can knock loose a piece of plaque or a blood clot, which could travel to your brain and cause a stroke or block a coronary artery and cause a heart attack.

The good news is that you have the control to bring that high blood pressure down. When you bring your blood pressure down to normal you will reduce your risk of stoke 35 to 40 percent, your risk of heart attack 20 to 25 percent, and your risk of heart failure more than 50 percent. These are all great motivational reasons to get that blood pressure down as quickly as possible. Experts again that you should aim for a reading below 120/80. Anything between 120 /80 and 139/89 is considered risk for high blood pressure. If you have a reading of 140/90 and above this means that already have high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure Treatments:

You can treat high blood pressure with drugs as well as self -help strategies such as relaxation techniques, diet adjustments and exercise.

• Follow the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension). Keep saturated fats as low as possible and replace them with good fats (unsaturated) such as olive oil. There are certain substances in olive oil which enhances nitric oxide levels helping blood vessels dilate and improve blood flow.
• Switch to non or low fat dairy
• Choose whole grains over refined flour products such as white bread.
• Eat 8 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables a day
• Reduce Salt in Diet – Sodium increases fluid retention as well as stimulates the secretion of hormones that damage blood vessels
• Eat more Dark Chocolate- real, bitter dark chocolate with high percentage of cocoa contains flavonols which improve blood vessel function.
• Stop smoking - Nicotine narrows arteries increasing blood pressure even more
• Avoid Alcohol – cutting back on alcohol reduces high blood pressure
• Exercise more: Exercise (walk, bike ride, swim) daily to lower weight and improve circulation.
• Maintain a healthy weight and you reduce your risk of high blood pressure in half.
• Reduce Stress: Mediate for 15 minutes a day

Vitamins and Supplements:Studies have shown that Soy, Folic Acid, Fish Oil, Hibiscus Flower, Potassium all lower blood pressure.

Prescription Drug: Diuretics: (Diuri, Hygroton, Lozol) help the body get rid of excess fluid and salt thus safely lowering pressure reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and against the threat of blot clots.