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Water pressure in the taps in your kitchen sink, or your garden hose, is how strong the water spurts out. If you have a rainwater tank on your roof, for example, the water flows down from the tank and into your taps using gravity and therefore does not come out very hard. When using a high-pressure hose, the compressor attached to the pipe sprays the water through the hose in a powerful jet. The same kind of thing applies to your blood: the stronger your heart beats, the harder your blood spurts along your arteries.
Unlike water pressure, blood pressure is not constant. Every time your heart beats, blood is pumped strongly through your arteries, but in the pause before the next beat of your heart, the blood flows much more slowly. The maximum blood pressure, generated during the strongest part of the beat of your heart, is called systolic blood pressure. In between the heart beats, your blood is still pressing against the artery walls, but it is pressing much less firmly. This type of blood pressure is called diastolic blood pressure.
Not surprisingly, your blood pressure and the relation between the systolic and diastolic types of blood pressure can vary a lot. Physical activity is one of the main things that can cause your heart to pump harder and more quickly, but the state of hydration of your body can also play a part. So can your stress levels and several other factors.
What Is A Dangerous Level Of Blood Pressure
As far as specific numbers for high blood pressure, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology released updated guidelines in November 2017. It can be broken down into two categories: elevated and high.;
Elevated blood pressure ranges from 121/80 to 129/80. Its generally not treated, but serves more as a warning sign that it should be monitored and the patient might explore how to lower blood pressure by; making some lifestyle changes.;
High blood pressure starts at 130/80 or higherthats stage one. Stage two, or the worst degree, is 140/90 and above. If the upper limit of blood pressure is more than 180, thats where it starts getting really dangerous, increasing the likelihood of an immediate heart attack, heart failure, or stroke.
How To Lower Blood Pressure Quickly And Naturally
When someone has high blood pressure, also known as hypertension, it means their blood is pumping with too much force against the artery walls. The condition can eventually lead to heart disease, stroke, or other cardiac conditions. High blood pressure is extremely common in the United States. More than 103 million people in the country have itand many dont even know theirs is too high, because it can be asymptomatic, says John Osborne, MD, director of cardiology at LowT Center/HerKare and a volunteer for the American Heart Association .;
The reason many people dont know? There are often few or no symptoms associated with high blood pressure, says Sondra DePalma, a;cardiac physician assistant at;PinnacleHealth CardioVascular Institute;with UPMC Pinnacle in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, which is why it is called the silent killer.
If youre wondering how to lower blood pressure, luckily, there are natural ways to do so with the proper diet and healthy lifestyle changes.
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The Dash Diet Helps To Lower High Blood Pressure
You can bring down your blood pressure naturally by following the principles of the DASH diet.
The DASH diet is the âDietary Approach to Stop Hypertensionâ and includes dietary guidelines if you have hypertension. The main principles of the diet to treat high BP is to eat more vegetables, fruits, and lean meat and cut down on sodium.
Foods to eat for hypertension on the DASH diet include:
- Complex carbohydrates such as green leafy veggies, whole-grain foods, and legumes.
- Healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, oily fish, and flaxseeds are all recommended to lower blood pressure.
- Low-fat protein that contains essential micronutrients such as fish, eggs, beans, and lean meats.
One study on the benefits of the DASH diet to manage hypertension found that it has great potential to reduce complications associated with heart disease. For example, it is estimated that, if followed, these dietary guidelines could help prevent 400,000 cases of heart disease.
If you are interested in finding out more about what to eat to lower blood pressure fast, read the information about the cardiac diet for improved health.
How To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
The term lifestyle changes implies you will need to change your habits to bring your blood pressure down. Broadly speaking, these modifications are natural non-pharmaceutical ways of lowering blood pressure. Six methods have been proven effective in clinical studies, and two others are recommended:
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How To Lower Blood Pressure In Minutes
Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.
High blood pressure can hit at any time, and the results can be devastating. When an acute jump occurs, knowing how to lower blood pressure in minutes can be the difference between life and death.
This is especially true if youre one of the 75 million American adults suffering from hypertension , or one of the other 75 million with prehypertension. When a boost hits, its good to know how to make blood pressure go down quickly.
Your blood pressure rises and falls throughout the day, and this is completely normal. Stress, anxiety, exercise, and activity can all lead to increases, while relaxation, getting ready for bed, and sleep can all bring it back down.
But not all high blood pressure is safe, and the longer it stays at a high rate, the more health risks you assume. Risks include acute responses like sweating, fainting or shortness of breath, and more severe issues like heart disease and heart attack can arise. So when stress hits, knowing how to lower blood pressure quickly can be a great health benefit.
Whey Protein For High Blood Pressure
Whey protein is good for helping to manage elevated blood pressure levels.
One double-blind study found that taking 59 g of whey protein a day helped to lower blood pressure naturally over an 8-week period. Researchers also noted improvements in levels of cholesterol.
You can learn more about why taking whey protein can be good for your heart and blood pressure.
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What Is Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is a combination of systolic and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure represents blood force, or pressure, while the heart is beating and diastolic pressure stands for blood pressure when the heart is at rest.
Systolic pressure is always the first or top measurement in a blood pressure reading.;In a reading of 130/80, 130 represents systolic pressure and 80 represents diastolic pressure. In prehypertension, systolic numbers range from 120129 and diastolic numbers are less than 80.
Blood pressure ranges include:
- Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg
- Prehypertension: Systolic between 120129;and;diastolic less than 80
- Stage 1 high blood pressure: Systolic between 130139;or;diastolic between 8089
- Stage 2 high blood pressure: Systolic at least 140;or;diastolic at least 90 mm Hg
Numbers for stage 1 hypertension vary from 130139 for systolic values and/or 8089 in diastolic numbers. With stage 2 hypertension, systolic readings are 140 or higher and/or diastolic readings measure 90 or higher. Although both numbers are significant, after about age 50, the systolic number is most important. Only 10 percent of high blood pressure cases are due to secondary or identifiable causes such as medications, or conditions and diseases of other organs.
Results of high blood pressure include:
- Arterial damage
- Heavy-metal poisoning
How To Sleep Better
Follow these tips for a better nights sleep
- Make having enough time to sleep a priority.
- Have a bedtime routine and stick to it.
- Make sure you have a comfortable mattress and bedding, and a dark, cool, bedroom.
- Turn off computers, TVs, mobile phones, and any other electronic devices at least 2 hours before bedtime. Blue light from these devices stops the production of the sleep hormone melatonin.
- Wind down for bedtime have a hot bath or shower, practise relaxation techniques.
- Avoid caffeine and alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime.
If you are not making progress, see your GP. You may have a sleep disorder, for example, sleep apnoea, which needs treatment.;
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How Do You Know If You Have High Blood Pressure
Among the uncertainties about blood pressure, there is a reliable option in the quest to discover a number you can trust: It’s called ambulatory monitoring. If your physician advises this option, you’ll wear a device that measures your blood pressure at half-hour;intervals for 24 hours. According to the United States Preventive Services Task force, a federally sponsored group that draws up medical guidelines, 12 to 48 hour monitoring is the preferred way to determine a diagnosis of high blood pressure. We all know treating hypertension is good, but we dont know how aggressive we should be, Michael Lauer, MD, director of the Division of Cardiovascular Sciences at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute told The New York Times;in 2015.
In an effort to reduce deaths from cardiovascular disease, the NHLBI initiated;a study called Sprint;to answer the question, “Will lower blood pressure reduce the risk of heart and kidney disease, stroke, or age-related declines in memory and thinking?” Sprint researchers are following 9,000 adults with high blood pressure; half are expected to get their systolic blood pressure below 120, and the other half below 140. Study results should be out;in 2017.
In the meantime, the optimal blood pressure number is still somewhat of a mystery.
Had Their High Blood Pressure Medication Reduced
Among 216 adults who entered the Pritikin Center taking pills for hypertension, 83% left Pritikin free of these pills, and with significant reductions in blood pressure. Most of the remaining 17% had their pill dosages reduced. Journal of Cardiac Rehabilitation, 3: 839, 1983. See also Circulation, 106: 2530, 2002.
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How To Reduce Stress
- Take control of your stress when you stop feeling helpless things will feel better.
Reach out to friends and family, get connected, and share your troubles. Its good to talk.
- Find a new interest get involved with a group, an activity, or develop a new hobby or pastime. Maybe now is the time to learn a new language or a new skill?
- Get outside in the fresh air and enjoy some green spaces. Being in the countryside amongst trees and plants has been shown to lower stress. Why not take up gardening?
- Learn to relax try Mindfulness a form of meditation or take up yoga. Making time for relaxation is very important for your health.
Reduce Salt In Your Diet
You may not realise that having too much salt in your bloodstream increases your blood pressure.;
After a plate of salty chips, your bloodstream is teaming with sodium chloride . To lower the blood concentration of sodium, your kidneys have to work hard and reabsorb a lot of water. This increases your blood volume and means your heart is under increased stress pumping this increased load.
Salt is often hidden in foods, such as breakfast cereals, bread, salad dressings, sauces, and frozen foods.
The World Health Organisation recommends no more than 5g salt per day most UK adults eat around 9/12 mg/day twice this amount.
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Maintain A Healthy Weight
Having overweight or obesity increases strain on the heart muscle and can lead to a rise in blood pressure.
The AHA recommend that people keep their body mass index between 18.5 and 24.9. If a persons BMI is too high, they should take steps to reduce their weight.
According to the AHA, a loss of just 10 pounds in weight is enough to reduce blood pressure readings in people who have overweight.
Side Effects Of Medications
There are more worrisome facts about medications, notes Dr. Fruge. ;Drug treatment frequently has annoying and sometimes dangerous side effects, and never cures the disease. ;All too often, blood pressure problems grow progressively worse despite the use of medications. ;Thats deeply troubling because hypertension is a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, heart failure, cardiac arrhythmia, and premature death.
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So What Exactly Is A Blood Pressure Measurement
Blood pressure, or arterial tension, is the pressure at which the blood flows through the arteries, or the pressure your blood exerts on the walls of your arteries, according to Lauren Munsch Dal Farra, MD, an internal medicine physician, cardiologist and CEO of PALM Health in St. Louis. When your blood pressure is measured, there are two values, maximum and minimum, expressed by two numbers separated by a slash, she explains. For example, 135/85 millimeters of mercury means a maximum pressure of 135 and a minimum pressure of 85.
The first number in the measurement is also know as systolic blood pressure, which is the pressure in the arteries when the heart beats. The second number is diastolic blood pressure, which is the arterial pressure between beats, says Sameer K. Mehta, MD, a board-certified cardiologist and president of Denver Heart. The difference between the two pressures is known as pulse pressure.
The exact importance of pulse pressure is still being investigated, though some studies suggest that patients with a wide pulse pressure are at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, or death, says Dr. Mehta.
Olive Leaf Extract Supplements To Lower Blood Pressure Naturally
Taking olive leaf extract supplements could be effective in helping to bring down high blood pressure naturally.
One study found that taking olive leaf extracts help men lower their blood pressure over a 6-week period.
Some studies show that olive leaf supplements can be as effective as hypertension medication. For example, taking 500 mg olive leaf extract daily could help lower blood pressure by around 11/5 mmHg.
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What Is Systolic Blood Pressure
When your doctor measures your blood pressure, you hear two numbers. The first is your systolic blood pressure, the amount of pressure that your heart exerts against the walls of your arteries with each pump. The second number, your diastolic blood pressure, is the pressure that your heart exerts between beats.
Many factors can push systolic blood pressure beyond normal, or above 120 millimeters of mercury, according to the American Heart Association. One factor is age. Over time, plaque can build up in the walls of your arteries, requiring the heart to exert more effort with each pump. But diet, weight, exercise habits and stress can exacerbate the problem.
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Avoid Heavy Alcohol Drinking
Drinking too much alcohol has been associated with high blood pressure. Heavy drinking also contributes to stroke. The CDC recommends that men drink two or fewer drinks per day. Women are recommended to drink one or fewer alcoholic beverages per day.
Alcoholism is a disease that is difficult to treat on your own. If you find it difficult to control your drinking, many people have successfully limited or quit drinking through counseling and drug treatment. You can reach the national substance abuse hotline anytime at: 1-800-662-HELP .
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Drink Milk Coconut Water And Cranberry Juice
Milk is a superfood. It consists of potassium, calcium, and Vitamin D. These nutrients are directly proven to lower blood pressure immediately.;
Coconut water is highly rich in potassium, electrolytes, and minerals. These nutrients are an immediate solution to hypertension.
Not only that, at times, deficiency of these minerals can cause hypertension.
A study in West Indian Medical Journal proved that coconut water drops the pressure by margins.
Cranberry juice is rich in proanthocyanidins. This helps in reducing high BP by dilating blood vessels and increasing blood flow.;
Articles published in Nature, 2016 proves that berry juice lowers systolic blood pressure.
However, milk is not suitable for everyone as people have lactose intolerance.
Thus, consultation with a doctor before the change in diet is advisable.
Indulge In Dark Chocolate
The sweet is rich in flavanols, which relax blood vessels and boost blood flow, and research suggests that regular dark chocolate consumption could lower your blood pressure. Experts havent determined an ideal percentage of cocoa, says Vivian Mo, M.D., clinical associate professor of medicine at the University of Southern California, but the higher you go, the more benefits youll get. Chocolate cant be your main strategy for managing blood pressure, Mo saysbut when youre craving a treat, its a healthy choice.
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Home Remedies For Managing High Blood Pressure
What is high blood pressure?
Blood pressure is the force at which blood pumps from the heart into the arteries. A normal blood pressure reading is less than 120/80 mm Hg.
When blood pressure is high, the blood moves through the arteries more forcefully. This puts increased pressure on the delicate tissues in the arteries and damages the blood vessels.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects about half of American adults, estimates the American College of Cardiology.
Known as a silent killer, it usually doesnt cause symptoms until theres significant damage done to the heart. Without visible symptoms, most people are unaware that they have high blood pressure.