When 1/3 of Americans are affected by a health condition that can cause life threatening complications such as stroke, heart disease, eye damage and kidney damage, I feel compelled to talk about it. And the fact that many people have this condition and will never know about it unless they make a visit to the doctor, I feel it is my duty to talk about it. High blood pressure, AKA hypertension is sometimes referred to as the “silent killer” because it doesn’t really doesn’t produce symptoms. Getting your BP checked regularly can confirm a diagnosis and help you make decisions whether you should start making lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, stress reduction, etc), or consult with your doctor about medications. Even having a slightly elevated blood pressure reading can increase your risk of developing full blown hypertension in the future so it is always a good idea to incorporate lifestyle changes that keep it in check.
But the good news is Hypertension is highly treatable. And implementing a few key strategies will make a world of difference and can prevent you from developing hypertension in the future. Below you will find info regarding what blood pressure is, what the numbers mean and then some easy (and fun and delicious!) ways to for you to lower your blood pressure or just keep it in check. So here is the lowdown:
1. What it is
Primarily, blood pressure is the pressure or force at which your blood pushes through your arteries as your heart is pumping blood. Hypertension occurs when this force is too high.
2. What the numbers mean
There are two numbers to consider when looking at blood pressure readings. The first number known as the systolicp ressure reflects how much force is being put on your artery walls during heart beats. The second number known as the diastolic pressure shows the force against your artery walls between beats. It would make sense that the second number would be lower than the first.
The American Heart Association provides an informative chart regarding optimal blood pressure ranges so you know YOUR numbers.
Now the good news! Here are my picks for easy ways to get those numbers to a level where you can brag about them…..
1 Get moving, run, walk, workout or heck…..Dance! Get moving sister!
This is one of the easiest and most fun ways to lower blood pressure. Studies show that making exercise a part of your daily habit significantly reduce high blood pressure. incorporating physical activity into your daily lives The key is to be active on a consistent basis. If running marathons and being the heavyweight woman champion at your local gym ain’t your thing, gardening, cleaning and playing with the kiddos will also keep the BP at bay. Just 30 minutes a day of walking can help lower blood pressure. And the cool thing is you can do it with a friend. So you will be able to chat it up, bond with your posse and strengthen your heart. That is a win-win if I ever heard one! If you don’t have 30 minutes to spare (tell me about it, we are crazy busy, aren’t we?), you can break it up into three 10 minutes walks, or two 15 minute walks. There is flexibility here! And don’t forget, even cleaning, yard work and other chores qualify as exercise.
2. Consume less sugar
I’m not saying go cold turkey, but limiting the number of refined processed foods you consume and taking it easy on those Swedish fish, will help with weight control and impact your blood pressure in a positive way. I love my Charms Blow Pops and go into withdrawal if I don’t have one a day, so if you thought I was gonna scold you, I certainly am not. Cold turkey isn’t my thing either. Checking food labels of the foods you purchase will give you a sense of what foods contain sugar. Did you know ketchup is LOADED with sugar? One teaspoon of sugar is equal to 4 grams of sugar. So if your ketchup has about 4 grams of sugar per tablespoon that is about 1 teaspoon of sugar. And let’s face it, who stops at a tablespoon of ketchup? And if you are wondering, my blow pop has about 3 teaspoons of sugar. I can easily forego the ketchup if you let me have my Blow Pop. I wanna hear about ways you make healthy choices and tell me about your sugar demons. (Comments below please!)
OH and did I mention that chocolate has been known to lower BP? How could I forget that! Dark chocolate and cocoa powder have flavonoids which are heart healthy and cause blood vessels to dilate which can lower blood pressure. Just be sure your chocolate selection contains at least 70% cocoa.
3. Increase your potassium
Potassium lessens the negative effect that sodium has on hypertension. The bottom line is the more potassium rich foods you eat, the more sodium you lost through urine.
Some high potassium foods? Lima Beans. yeah not my choice either. And then there are prunes. But again not one I am craving. But they high potass foods I run to are bananas, sweet potatoes, tuna and avocado toast!! Try these great recipes
And as a side note, although not known for their potassium, blueberries have been found to have lower blood pressure in recent studies (insert link to sciencedaily.com “the “blue” in blueberries can help lower blood pressure. See other links and decide if they are better to insert such as Mercola. Medicalxpress.com, Tufts University. Check out these yummy and good for you, BB recipes Insert link
4. Reduce salt intake.
Keeping your salt intake to a minimum is actually pretty easy. Try to season foods with spices and herbs. They rock! Every few times a year when I make my trek to Pittsburgh, I stop at Penzey’s spices and pick up some wonderful concoctions of spices and herbs. Pick some up at your local grocer please! I have my go-to list (insert link from Mercola.com “Common Herbs used for Managing High Blood pressure”) My faves are garlic, cinnamon (in my coffee), ginger and basil. And note that while these and the other herbs listed have been deemed to be safe, checking with your physician regarding some of those mentioned is a good idea. Putting the kibosh on deli meats and canned soups will also help. Or at least selecting those that are lower in sodium. Your arteries will thank you.
Check out the DASH DIET for more ideas to say bye bye to salt
5. Manage stress
Notice I didn’t say “eliminate stress”? I am pretty certain that ain’t happening here on this earth! This is one of the strategies for keeping BP is check that I love because it justifies my monthly pedicure and massage! They absolutely put me in a ZEN state of mind and help me manage any stress that comes my way. Need I say more? This is your get out of jail free card to get that overdue massage or pedicure. If your husband is not on-board, you got medical science to back it up!!! I love these tried and true methods to reduce stress and bring us to our “yellow” state. Hypertension becomes “hyperZENsion.
Lifestyle factors such as these listed above play a critical role in blood pressure maintenance and has other positive health consequences along the way. If you an incorporate 1 or more of these five strategies into your busy day and make it an intentional habit you will be well on your way to a healthier, happier you!!!