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Author: Danish Subhan Sheikh

7 Lifestyle Change That Will Keep Blood Pressure:


https://danishsheikh007.start.page/
Adress:North Nazimabad, Karachi, Pakistan.
Email: danishwanted618@gmail.com
Cell No: +923197930064

7 Lifestyle Changes That Will Keep Blood


Pressure Down Without Medication
YOU CAN BRING YOUR BLOOD
PRESSURE DOWN WITHOUT USING

DANISH DRUGS

SHEIKH
Business:

CONTACT
PHONE:
+00923197930064

WEBSITE:

https://danishsheikh007.start.page/

EMAIL:
danishwanted618@gmail.com

Photo by Gayatri Malhotra on Unsplash Note, that some links in this


post are affiliate links. I might be compensated by third parties if you
purchase recommended products or services.

Hypertension is estimated to affect 1.28 billion


people aged 30–79 years worldwide, and it has
become the leading preventable risk factor for
cardiovascular disease, killing approximately
10 million people each year.

This is scary because almost half of the people


who are suffering from hypertension (46
percent) are unaware of it since it may have no
warning signs or symptoms. As a result, less
than half of adults (42%) with hypertension are
diagnosed and treated.

But you know what’s even scarier? Only 1 in 5


adults with high blood pressure has it under
control.

People with hypertension spend almost


$2,000 on healthcare costs each year
compared to those without high blood
pressure.

High blood pressure is a serious health risk. It


can lead to some of the deadliest diseases, such
as heart attack, stroke, dementia, and kidney
failure.

It turns out, however, that managing your


blood pressure has a lot more to do with
lifestyle changes than medications. If you don’t
make lifestyle changes, don’t bother taking
blood pressure medications, because they
won’t work effectively.

High blood pressure can be treated with a


combination of medication and lifestyle
changes. But there’s no substitute for a healthy
lifestyle.

They are effective medications that can help


relax your blood vessels, make your heart beat
with less force, and block nerve activity that
can restrict your blood vessels. But, in many
cases, healthy lifestyle factors are better.

Here are some lifestyle changes you can try to


lower your blood pressure.

1. Get more exercise

Keeping your blood pressure healthy requires


exercising regularly. Exercise strengthens the
heart, meaning it doesn’t have to work as hard
to pump blood. As a result, the force on your
arteries decreases, lowering your blood
pressure.
It takes about one to three months for regular
exercise to have an impact on your blood
pressure. And the benefits last only as long as
you continue to exercise.

In one study, researchers found that a short


burst of treadmill walking each morning can
have long-lasting effects.

In experiments, participants aged between 55


and 80 followed three different daily plans in a
random order, with at least six days between
each one.

The first plan consisted of uninterrupted sitting


for 8 hours, while the second consisted of 1
hour of sitting before 30 minutes of walking on
a treadmill at moderate intensity, followed by
6.5 hours of sitting down. The final plan was 1
hour of sitting before 30 minutes of treadmill
walking, followed by 6.5 hours of sitting, which
was interrupted every 30 minutes with 3
minutes of walking at a light intensity.

The researchers found that blood pressure was


lower in people who took part in the exercise
plans compared to those who didn't. This effect
was pronounced with systolic blood pressure
(SBP).

SBP measures pressure in blood vessels when


the heart beats. It’s also a stronger predictor of
heart problems such as heart attacks.

It’s advised to aim for at least 30 minutes of


aerobic activity on most days. These are
activities that increase your heart and
breathing rates, such as biking, climbing stairs,
dancing, jogging, swimming, or walking. Just
30 minutes of exercise every morning may be
as effective as medication at lowering blood
pressure for the rest of the day.
Source

2. Let yourself relax.

Your body doesn’t like it when you’re in a


stressful situation. Stress causes the body to
release hormones like cortisol and adrenaline.
These hormones temporarily cause your blood
pressure to rise. They do so by making your
heart beat faster and by narrowing your blood
vessels.
Even though there seems to be no proof that
stress by itself causes long-term high blood
pressure, one way to keep your numbers down
is to minimize your exposure to stress.

An effective way to reduce stress is by letting


yourself relax. Even if you are busy, take 15 to
20 minutes a day to sit quietly, breathe deeply,
and think of a peaceful picture. This can help
keep stress hormones and your blood pressure
in check.

Also, spend time building supportive and


nurturing relationships. We all need supportive
and encouraging relationships. Invest yourself
in developing relationships that build character
and foster growth.

Also, research suggests that listening to the


right tunes can help lower your blood pressure.

Researchers asked participants who were


taking BP medication to listen to soothing
classical, Celtic, or Indian music for 30 minutes
daily while breathing slowly.

When they were followed up six months later,


their blood pressure had dropped significantly.
Source

3. Cut down on salt consumption.

Eating too much salt is the single biggest cause


of high blood pressure. The more salt you
consume, the higher your blood pressure will
be.

Salt makes your body hold onto water. If you


eat too much, the extra water in your blood
means there is extra pressure on your blood
vessel walls, raising your blood pressure.
As a result, lowering your salt consumption is
one of the simplest ways to keep your blood
pressure down. pressure.

Although not everyone’s blood pressure is


particularly salt-sensitive, everyone could
benefit from cutting back.

Most of the salt we eat is hidden in the ready-


made foods we buy, such as bread, biscuits,
breakfast cereals, sauces, etc. Because of this, it
can be hard to know how much salt you’re
taking.

The American Heart


Association recommends aiming for 1,500 mg
of sodium a day and certainly no more than
2,300 mg (about a teaspoon).

Tread with caution around packaged and


processed foods.

4. Adopt the DASH diet.

Alongside the Mediterranean diet, the Dietary


Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet
is consistently ranked as one of the absolute
healthiest eating plans — and it was developed
specifically to lower blood pressure without
medication.

DASH promotes the consumption of vegetables


and fruits, lean meat and dairy products, and
the inclusion of micronutrients on the menu. It
also advocates the reduction of sodium in the
diet to about 1500 mg/day. DASH emphasizes
minimally processed and fresh food.

In a study, researchers examined the effects of


the DASH diet in people with and those
without hypertension.

A total of 412 participants were randomly


assigned to eat either a control diet typical of
intake in the United States or the DASH diet.
Within the assigned diet, participants ate foods
with high, intermediate, and low levels of
sodium for 30 consecutive days each.

The result showed that lowering sodium intake


from the high to the intermediate level reduced
the systolic blood pressure by 2.1 mm Hg
during the control diet and by 1.3 mm Hg
during the DASH diet.

Reducing the sodium intake from the


intermediate to the low level caused additional
reductions of 4.6 mm Hg during the control
diet and 1.7 mm Hg during the DASH diet.

Other studies show DASH can reduce blood


pressure in just four weeks and even aid weight
loss.

5. Drink wisely.

Alcoholic beverages are very popular. Light-to-


moderate alcohol consumption is typically safe,
but excessive alcohol consumption can increase
the risk of several metabolic conditions,
including high blood pressure.

Alcohol increases blood levels of the hormone


renin, which causes the blood vessels to
constrict. This means that they get smaller in
diameter. Renin also decreases how much fluid
the body eliminates as urine.

In a study of nearly 30,000 women, light to


moderate drinking (one drink or fewer per day)
is associated with a lower risk of hypertension
in women.

Moderate drinking is generally considered to


be: Two drinks a day for men younger than age
65, one drink a day for men age 65 and older,
and one drink a day for women of any age. A
drink is 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or
1.5 ounces of spirits.

High levels of alcohol are detrimental, but


moderate alcohol is protective of the heart. If
you are going to drink, drink moderately.

Source

6. Switch to decaf

When you’re under stress, your heart starts


pumping a lot more blood, boosting blood
pressure. Taking caffeine can escalate that
effect. However, the effect of coffee on blood
pressure seems to be only temporary after
drinking it.

A meta-analysis of 34 studies revealed that the


amount of caffeine in one or two cups of coffee
raises both systolic and diastolic blood
pressure for up to three hours, tightening blood
vessels and magnifying the effects of stress.

In one study, researchers looked at the effects


of decaffeinated versus regular coffee on blood
pressure and heart rate.

Participants with a habitual intake of 4–6 cups


of coffee per day received 5 cups of regular
coffee each day for 6 weeks, and 5 cups of
decaffeinated coffee for the next 6 weeks.

It was found that switching from regular


to decaffeinated coffee led to a real but small
reduction in blood pressure. Researchers
believe a complete switch to decaf coffee
reduces incidences of hypertension-related
disorders.

7. Work less
Being a workaholic may not just affect your
social life; it can also make you more likely to
have high blood pressure.

According to a study by researchers in Canada,


working more than 40 hours a week can
increase your risk of both regular and hidden
high blood pressure.

The study involved more than 3,500 9–5


workers. They wore monitors that recorded
their resting blood pressure in the morning and
during the rest of the workday. Samples were
taken at three different times during the five-
year study period.

Participants who worked 49 or more hours a


week had a 66% increased risk of sustained
hypertension and a 70% greater risk of masked
hypertension compared with those who logged
40 hours a week or less.

Working overtime takes away time for relaxing,


exercising, and healthy eating. Not everyone
can clock out early, but if you work a 9–5 job,
try to log off at a decent hour so you can work
out, cook, and relax.
Working long hours can be closely associated
with sitting for long hours.

At a time when working from home has


become a thing, it’s easier than ever to sit at
your desk all day.

But study after study has shown that


interrupting prolonged sitting time at work can
reduce hypertension.

Spending some minutes standing and walking


around will lower your blood pressure over
time.

Final thoughts

Hypertension is called a “silent killer.” It


continues to claim the lives of people around
the world. Unfortunately, it may be hard to
know when your blood pressure level is getting
out of hand because it may not show you any
signs.

As a result, you must check your blood


pressure regularly. Keeping your BP at the
right level is essential to prevent the risks that
come with it.
Over time, however, the most effective way to
keep blood pressure at an optimum level is by
making the right lifestyle changes, such as:

 Get regular exercise.

 Let yourself relax.

 Cut down your salt intake.

 Adopt the DASH diet.

 Drink with moderation.

 Switch to decaf.

 Work less.

Posted By: Danish Subhan Sheikh, Karachi, Pakistan.

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