About 1 in every 3 people in America suffer from high blood pressure. Clearly, that's quite a large chunk of the population. Lifestyle choices, genetics, and environmental factors all play a role in whether or not a person will develop high blood pressure. However, just because you may be genetically predisposed to having this condition, doesn't mean that there's nothing you can do to prevent it. Quite the contrary actually! Lifestyle modifications are the number one thing you can do to maintain a healthy blood pressure. If you are already suffering from hypertension, fear not! It is possible to reverse these symptoms if you put your mind to it! Now before we go any further, controlling your blood pressure is very important and uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to fatal complications. Therefore, be sure to visit your primary care physician to have your blood pressure checked and monitored regularly.
Now, if your blood pressure is controlled or if you are looking to prevent it from getting high, there are quite a few things you can do! Again, be sure to do each of these under the supervision of your doctor.
1. Make some changes to your diet. Many of us already know that decreasing the amount of sodium, cholesterol and saturated fat in our diet can help to lower cholesterol. However, there are many other things that can be done in your diet to help control or prevent the onset of this condition. Try adding some blueberries to your diet. Blueberries have a number of health benefits and studies have shown that eating a handful of blueberries a day can lower your blood pressure. Cutting back on caffinated beverages such as sodas and coffee can also help lower your blood pressure.
2. Exercise. It can be difficult to fit exercise into our busy schedules. However, adding just a few minutes of exercise to your daily routine will add years to your life and life to your years! It has great benefits to your cardiovascular system and can improve the strength of your heart muscle, and also lower your blood pressure.
3. Several different supplements are available that have been shown to lower blood pressure more naturally. Some of them include Co-Q10, Red Yeast Rice and Omega-3 fatty acids. These supplements aren't right for everyone but talk to your doctor to see if they may work for you as a way to manage mild or borderline low blood pressure.
4. There is some research and several case studies that show that chiropractic care can be effective in helping to lower blood pressure. How does that work? Because a chiropractic adjustment affects the nervous system, it can stimulate the parasympathetic nerves that feed your heart and decrease your blood pressure. Therefore, you may want to consider regular chiropractic care as a method of managing your condition.
5. Finally, stress, especially chronic stress, can cause your blood pressure to spike significantly. Visit the "stress management" tab by clicking the link below to see what you can do to manage your stress levels.
For more tips on natural healthcare and information on chiropractic, please be sure to check out the resources tab at the top of the page. Have more specific questions? Please contact our Daytona Beach office and we will assist you in the best way we can.
Dr. Alesha Fleming
Natural Health and Wellness Chiropractic, LLC
Daytona Beach, FL
Dr. Fleming is a family chiropractor in Daytona Beach, Florida. She is passionate about preventative health care and nutrition and enjoys empowering her patients to improve their health and fitness, one day at a time!
