High blood pressure is something that nobody wants to or should have to deal with. High blood pressure can lead to a number of health problems including a heart attack, stroke, brain damage, artery damage, and much more.
Having high blood pressure can also affect the types of jobs you can have such as truck and bus drivers. The good part about your blood pressure is that you can do a lot on your own to help keep it low. In this article, I will be going over a few ways that you can help lower your blood pressure each day.
Go on walks often
Studies show that taking a simple 20 to 30-minute walk every day can greatly reduce your blood pressure. You will notice the difference within just a few weeks of regularly walking or jogging that your blood pressure has gone down. Also taking long and deep breathes will reduce the stress hormones that elevate your blood pressure. Look into trying out yoga or tai chi if you have the time as both are great activities to keep blood pressures down.
Eat Healthy
Eating healthy is not only going to keep you looking and feeling good, it will also drop your blood pressure by an average of 14 mmHg. Instead of eating burgers and fatty foods from fast food restaurants, you should head out to your local market or grocery store and purchase healthy options such as fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products. Foods with high cholesterol and saturated fat should be avoided as often as possible.
Reduce Stress
Nothing raises your blood pressure quicker than being stressed out or angry. Whenever you get mad at someone or about something and your heart starts racing so does your blood pressure. If you’re stressed out every day, then you need to look into getting into some new activities or meeting new people. Stress is unhealthy for your blood pressure and your life. Once you figure out what is triggering your stress, you should take the time to remove those things from your life. Go for a run, bike ride, or a long walk if you feel stressed out.
Ditch The Caffeine
Drinks high in caffeine such as coffee and energy drinks may wake you up for the time being and give you a jolt of energy, but they also are proven to raise your blood pressure immediately. A study done by Duke University Medical Center showed that consuming 500 mg of caffeine per day which is equivalent to about two 12 Oz cups of coffee increased blood pressure by 4 mmHg. Caffeine raises your blood pressure by compressing your blood vessels and by zoning in on the effects of stress.
As I stated in the beginning high blood pressure can be a serious problem and should be taken care of immediately. Risking a heart attack or a stroke just because you want to eat fatty foods or because you don’t think you have time to go for a walk every day is not something you want to do. So remember, eat healthy, stress less, cut out the caffeine, and try and get a 30-minute walk in a day and you should notice your blood pressure decreasing to a healthy and normal level.
This article was written by Colin Quinn, article writer at RejuveHealthClinics.com in Orlando, Florida. Colin is a health nut who enjoys sharing his knowledge with others.
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