Hypertension Helpers
High blood pressure affects 67 million adults in the U.S. That’s one out of every three of us. Almost 350,000 American deaths in 2009 were directly caused or contributed to by hypertension, a condition that costs this country more than $47 billion dollars every year in direct medical expenses alone. If you have high blood pressure, it’s time to get those numbers down.
High Blood Pressure Helpers
If you have hypertension, you should contact your primary care physician immediately to find out if you need to take medication for your condition. You can also incorporate some of these helpful hints:
- Take your blood pressure regularly. Home monitoring symptoms are incredibly affordable and extremely effective for tracking your blood pressure numbers. Track it a few times a day and pay attention to trends.
- Try gaming. One of the best ways to lower your blood pressure is through exercise, and what better way than with your gaming console? Playing with your Wii Fit or Xbox Kinect is the perfect way to combine fun and exercise.
- Laugh it off. A 2006 study from the University of Maryland found that laughing can cause your blood vessels to dilate by more than 20 percent. For best results, get about 15 minutes of belly laughs every single day.
- Have a couple drinks. Recent research on 75,000 men found that two drinks a day can lower your risk of coronary heart disease. That’s because modest amounts of alcohol make your arteries larger. Don’t overdo it though—more than two drinks can actually raise your B.P.
- Listen to music. Music has charms to soothe a savage beast, and listening to music with a steady beat for half an hour a day, combined with breathing exercises, can lower your systolic blood pressure dramatically.
- Satisfy your sweet tooth. Dark chocolate can significantly lower your blood pressure. An Italian study found that eating three and a half ounces of dark chocolate over a 15 day period lowered both systolic and diastolic blood pressure by up to four points.
For more healthy living tips, contact your chiropractic team. They’ll be able to answer any questions you may have about wellness.
Always consult your chiropractor or primary care physician for all your health related advice.
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