Ways to Protect Against Hypertension
What you eat, what you don’t eat, and how you manage stress, all play a factor in high blood pressure (hypertension). Relaxation in the form of meditation, or mindfulness, is one of the quick daily fixes for lowering blood pressure. We might like to think that TV in the evening is relaxing, but it doesn’t give a feeling of being centered or grounded.
Meditation has never been as mainstream as it is now. If a doctor could write a prescription for it, they would, and in lieu of a prescription, they would likely suggest engaging in meditation. It’s for good health and a good life. To relax with meditation, you will have to learn how to do it, and with practice you will become better at it. In its simplest form, it’s about focusing on one thing and chasing away any intruding thoughts. Sit in a comfortable position with your back straight, shoulders relaxing down, and your hands starting to feel soft and warm. Pay attention to your breathing, in out, in out. Inevitably, thoughts will pop into your consciousness. Don’t address them in any way, just tell them to go away, and go back to focus on your breathing. It sounds so simple, and it is, with practice. Your blood pressure and your life will thank you for it.
When diagnosed with hypertension or pre-hypertension, the first thing we hear is, “Eliminate salt from your diet,” which for a lot of people is difficult. People become accustomed to what they normally eat, so a change takes time for the taste buds to acclimate. The opposite of what we can’t have, is what we can have more of to help lower blood pressure. Eat more foods with a lot of calcium, magnesium, and potassium. For snacks, eat more bananas, peaches, nectarines, and kiwis.
Add fish to your diet. Tilapia is a milder fish that people who are not used to eating fish sometimes like. If you don’t eat fish, try a fish oil supplement to get your omega-3s. Get probiotics, such as is naturally found in yogurt, kefir, or buttermilk. You could also take probiotic supplements. Finally, if you think you aren’t getting enough calcium, magnesium, and potassium in your diet, supplements are an option.
Used under Creative Commons Licensing courtesy of Wonderlane