Taking Care Of Your Blood Pressure Without Medication

Do you know what your blood pressure readings are? If you don’t, shame on you. Keeping track of your blood pressure is one of the most important things you can do to ensure a happy and healthy life. Keeping your blood pressure in a healthy range is known to be one of the most efficient ways to avoid a host of ills, including heart disease and stroke. And engaging in an easy exercise like walking is proven to be a great drug-free way to maintain normal blood pressure or help bring it down if it’s already high.

So why is it that as many as 75 million of us — that’s one in three adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — currently have high blood pressure, often without even knowing it?

You should know by now that I am a big stickler for diet and exercise to remain happy and healthy. My blood pressure on my last visit to the doctor was 116/75, and remember I take no prescription medications at all, just diet and exercise. 

High blood pressure (also referred to as HBP, or hypertension) typically has no symptoms. It doesn’t cause chest pain or make you huff and puff while climbing a flight of stairs. The only way to know if your blood pressure is creeping up — and therefore take steps to control it — is to have your blood pressure checked regularly. American Heart Association guidelines define blood pressure as normal at less than 120/80 millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and high blood pressure as 140/90 mmHg or more.

If you do find out that your blood pressure is heading in the wrong direction, there’s good news: Even small amounts of daily exercise can help keep it in check or lower your blood pressure if it’s already higher than it should be.

Ideally, everyone — but especially those with health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure — should get at least two and a half hours of moderate exercise every week, says cardiologist Tracy Stevens, MD, of the Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City, Missouri.

“Try for at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week, and never go more than two days without any exercise,” says Dr. Stevens, who is also a professor of medicine at the University of Missouri in Kansas City. “Walking is one of the best and easiest exercises you can do. You can walk anywhere, and it doesn’t require any equipment beyond a good pair of sneakers.”  

I’m not saying that you should pick up your blood pressure medication and throw them out the window, if your doctor says you need to take them, then take them. But there is no reason why you can’t start a healthy diet and exercise routine and maybe slowly reduce your need for the medication, but I’m sure the doctor might have mentioned that to you. 

If you have a problem with your blood pressure you might want to consider an at-home blood pressure monitor, they are very affordable, I’ve seen them as low as $16 up to $99.

Many times we are our own worst enemy when it comes to our health, simple things sometimes are the best ways to take care of things. 

Do You Need More Energy? Just Click Here