We have all heard of blood pressure a few times in our life. Quick recap - blood pressure is measure in millimeters of mercury (mmHG). The first number is called the systolic and the second is called the diastolic.
Systolic pressure is used to measure how much pressure is being exerted on the walls of your arteries when your heart is beating.
Diastolic pressure is used to measure the amount of pressure exerted on your artery walls between heartbeats.
According to the American Heart Association the recommend or norm is 120/80. Once again, 120 being the systolic and 80 being the diastolic. Again, this is the recommend norm, however there are anomalies and variations. Once could be in a lower range, ideally 100/60 or 140/100 and still be considered healthy. However, as a general rule the 120/80 is used as the benchmark. Understand that blood pressure is highly volatile and can change from second to second. Anything from your thoughts to a simply movement can cause and increment or decrement of 10mmHg.
The systolic pressure is used more as an indicative and dependable marker for heart attacks and stroke risk.
There are certain pre-established ranges to be cautious of for the systolic pressure.
120-139 mmHg: pre-hypertension range (here is where you would consider a diet and lifestyle change - early sign)
140-159 mmHG: stage 1 hypertension
this can get really high and the higher it goes the more deleterious to your well being and life.
Again the general consensus is to strive for no more than 120 mmHG for your systolic.
Natural blood pressure remedies -
- Lifestyle change:
- losing weight around the waistline (men: greater than 40 inches / women: greater than 35 inches)
- if you don't already do so, try incorporating 30 min of exercise each day
- diet change, with the focus on more whole grains, fruits & veggies
- decreasing your intake of sodium
- reduce or at least limit alcohol consumption
- stop smoking
- reduce or eliminate caffeine
- alleviate stress (yoga, tai chi, meditation)
Hawthorn tea or supplement (naturally a diuretic and blood pressure inhibitor)
Hibiscus tea (diuretic known to expel excess sodium and good for blood pressure)
Coconut water - 2 glass a day. Coconut water contains lots of potassium and magnesium, which are two minerals knowns to lower blood pressure and strengthen the heart.
Hope you enjoyed this post and it was informative enough. Drop a comment or reply with some feedback.
Cheers
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