How To Manage High Blood Pressure Naturally
/I wrote an entire blog about high blood pressure giving standard accpetable opinions that are practiced by in the western medical model and then I erased it. Just google “What is High Blood Pressure” and you will basically find out what I was going to share with you, as well as my own journey with hypertension. One of my goals with this blog is to go beyond standard views, encourage you to think critically about your wellness and prompt you to ask important questions.
FITNESS COACH, MARCELLE. Photo by Paul Garrett
Instead of having you read a long blog about high blood pressure, I encourage you to watch the following video in which Dr. Bruce Berman presents the logical assertion that the human body is ”self regulating and self healing.” Therefore high blood pressure is the body’s intelligent response to other factors that we should consider if we want to understand what is really going on within us and solve the real problem. In other words, hypertension is a symptom rather than a disease. Please watch this interesting video titled, “How to Have Healthy Blood Pressure” with an open mind and then I’ll share with you some healing ways to lower your blood pressure naturally.
Video: “How to Have Healthy Blood Pressure by Dr. Bruce Bergman
One out of every three American adults has what is considered to be high blood pressure. So the question you should asked if you have hypertension is, “what is causing it and how can I manage it without being on high blood pressure medication for the rest of my life?”
Let’s look at 14 of the most common causes of hypertension:
1. Narrowing or hardening of the arteries (arterial sclerosis)
2. Poor diet
3. Stress
4. Obesity
5. Smoking
6. Regular consumption of alcohol
7. Lack of exercise
8. Infections
9. Kidney failure
10. Diabetes
11. Dehydration
12. Shallow breathing
13. Heavy metals and other toxins in your body
14. Medications such as ibuprofen
Our modern lifestyles can be very stressful and sedentary. In addition, the standard American diet is lacking in the vital nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy. When I look at the listed factors above they are all very common in our society. Therefore each and everyone of us should consider if they apply to our lives and how we can reverse them.
Now let’s look at how we can reduce stress in our lives and what we can eat to promote a healthy heart and healthy blood vessels.
6 Ways to Reduce Stress
Meditation - Just 10 minutes of meditation a day can calm your mind and lower your blood pressure.
Exercise - 30 minutes of exercise strengthens our cardio vascular system, helps us release pent up stress in our bodies, can help us lose weight and gives us a feeling of wellbeing.
Sleep - While we are sleeping our bodies are busy repairing damaged tissues, removing waste and restoring energy. As you know life feels more stressful when you do not get enough sleep.
Yoga - Yoga is a combination of exercise and meditation wrapped into one. Because it is good for the mind, the body and the spirit, it is a very relaxing practice.
Spending Time in Nature - Nature’s energy helps us to feel grounded and relaxed. Think about how good you feel after a day at the beach or a walk in a beautiful forest.
Love - A loving relationship with another person can do wonders to relax us.
YOGA TEACHER AND DENTIST, AILEEN DAY. PHOTO BY PAUL GARRETT
We are what we eat and consuming nutrient dense organic foods is one the best ways to keep our bodies healthy, strong and free from disease.
24 Foods That are healthy for Your Heart and Blood Vessels
1. Leafy Greens such as spinach
2. Celery juice
3. Broccoli
4. Mushrooms
5. Avocados
6. Blueberries
7. Raspberries
8. Pineapple
9. Apples
10. Bananas
11. Red grapes
12. Pomegranates
13. Walnuts
14. Almonds
15. Pistachios
16. Flax seeds
17. Pumpkin seeds
18. Tumeric
19. Ginger
20. Garlic
21. Extra virgin olive oil
22. Wild salmon
23. Oats
24. Dark chocolate
A number of these foods, such as spinach, almonds and dark chocolate are good sources of magnesium, which helps our blood vessels relax and dilate. Learn more about this vital element in my blog titled, “The Health Benefits of Magnesium.”
I try to get a serving of organic berries in my diet everyday.
Many of these these foods also reduce inflammation and clean and heal our blood vessels. This in turn can lower blood pressure and keep our hearts healthy, as well. As always, buy organic food whenever possible. Also limit your consumption of processed carbohydrates and sugar. Sugar has a damaging effect upon the lining of our blood vessels that can lead to high blood pressure and other problems.
I hope that the video and this blog have inspired you to take a fresh look at your lifestyle, diet and the management of your blood pressure. Hopefully you have a doctor who listens to your concerns and works with you to keep you at optimum health. If your doctor blames every problem on genetics and says that you will have to be on medication for the rest of your life, it may be in your best interest to find another doctor who is willing to help you naturally cure the problem rather than automatically treating the symptoms with medication. It is very important for each of us to take responsibility for our own well being by eating well, getting enough sleep, reducing stress, getting exercise and by doing the things in life that make us happy and give us purpose.
Here’s to your good health,
Paul
P.S. - Here are a couple more possible blood pressure reducing factors for you to look into: 1. L-Arginine’s role in blood pressure, and 2. Vitamin D’s roll with blood pressure. Apparently the further you live from the equator, the higher your chances of having high blood pressure. This blog is for informational purposes only. Please visit your healthcare professional to come up with a wholistic treatment plan to manage your hypertension. As always, I’d love to connect with you on Instagram. Also don’t hesitate to click on the heart icon below.
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