What's the cure for high blood pressure?

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a very serious condition. Wondering, how can you lower your blood pressure? Use these tips for improving blood pressure health to help to get your numbers down to a normal, safe level.

The blood pressure diet

An unhealthy diet is a major factor in elevated blood pressure. A healthy diet is one of the most effective natural treatments for reducing blood pressure. To maintain good blood pressure levels and to help to treat hypertension, it is important to limit saturated fat, processed foods and salt. This means only eating red meat once or twice a week, if at all. It also means choosing fresh fruits and vegetables over canned products, unsalted nuts and seeds over processed snacks and low-fat dairy foods instead of whole milk, cream and heavy cheeses. What can you enjoy while still maintaining blood pressure health?
Fresh green salads, fresh and dried fruit, low-fat yoghurt and milk, fish, whole grains, chicken, tofu, nuts and seeds. Try using fresh herbs and spices to flavour your food instead of salt.

Exercise

A healthy diet is essential for reducing blood pressure, but so is regular physical activity. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, all that is required to help to control blood pressure is 30 minutes a day of moderate physical activity, most days of the week. What is moderate exercise? Try walking for 30 minutes, going for a bike ride or even raking leaves from the yard. Take up an activity that you enjoy such as yoga, tennis or swimming to make sure that you are getting plenty of regular exercise.

Healthy lifestyle

To help with elevated blood pressure, it is also important to make wise lifestyle choices. Unhealthy habits such as smoking and drinking can contribute to high blood pressure. If you smoke, learn how to quit. Smoking can not only affect your heart, but it also puts you at a greater risk for many forms of cancer. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. A glass of wine with dinner is fine. Several drinks a night is not alright. Eat a healthy diet, be sure to get plenty of exercise and make wise choices. Furthermore, be sure to see your doctor regularly to have your blood pressure levels tested. Often hypertension does not cause any symptoms, leaving many people unaware that they even have this dangerous condition. If your blood pressure is dangerously high, your doctor may recommend a medication to reduce levels in addition to diet and lifestyle changes. NHLBI (Nhlbi.nih.gov)