21 Nov 2009

The Dummies Guide to Blood Pressure

By Stuart Brown

Page 5 of 5

MODIFICATION	RECOMMENDATION	APPROXIMATE SYSTOLIC BP REDUCTION (RANGE)
Weight Reduction	Maintain normal body weight (body mass index 18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2) - Calculate it here	5 - 20 mmHg/10kg weight loss
Diet Changes	Consume a diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low fat products with a reduced content of saturated and total fat	8 - 14 mmHg
Reduce Sodium (Salt) Intake	Reduce dietary sodium intake to no more than 100 mmol per day (2.4g sodium or 6g sodium chloride) 5g = 1 teaspoon	2 - 8 mmHg
Physical Activity	Engage in regular aerobic physical activity such as brisk walking (at least 30 min per day, most days of the week)	4 - 9 mmHg
Moderation of Alcohol Consumption	Limit consumption to no more than 2 drinks (1oz or 30ml ethanol - e.g. 24 oz beer, 10oz wine, or 3 oz 80-proof whisky) per day in most men and to no more than 1 drink per day in women and lighter-weight persons.	2 - 4 mmHg
Stress Reduction/Meditation	This one is not in the US Department of Health recommendations; but nevertheless, numerous studies have shown that meditating for twenty minutes twice a day can make an appreciable difference to blood pressure levels. (Click here for an example of how to meditate)	Some studies have shown up to a 11 mmHg reduction with a range of 5 - 11

Additionally to the above it is also a good idea to quit smoking. Smoking does not directly impact on blood pressure levels. However it does injure blood vessel walls and speeds up the process of hardening of the arteries. (As well as all the other health reasons that you are probably very bored of hearing if you are a smoker, but which nevertheless don't cease to be true.) You cannot be properly healthy and be a smoker, because with each puff you are having a good crack at poisoning yourself.

So, in short, to help bring down your blood pressure (possibly dramatically). Go on a diet if you are overweight and cut out fatty foods and salt. Becoming a vegetarian would help by cutting your fat intake (as long as you steer clear of the chocolate bars!) and upping your intake of lifeforce foods (otherwise known as 'fruit and vegetables'). Start doing some exercise every day, cut down on the drinking and cut out the smoking and take up meditation. If you do all these measures then not only would you lower your blood pressure, but you would also feel a whole lot better and you would have a lot more more energy. None of these measures are rocket science. You don't need to become a monk. Just start watching what you are doing to yourself on a daily basis and ask one simple question. 'Is this helping me, or harming me?' If it is the latter then stop doing it!

The last two classifications are Hypertension stages 1 and 2. At these levels of high blood pressure your health is in serious jeopardy and you need to see your Doctor immediately. They can help you figure out an action plan to get it down. This may involve putting into practice the above steps with more vigour, and it is quite likely that you may even need to include drug therapy to get it down. Either way this is a problem you cannot afford to ignore, because High blood pressure is a stalker waiting to strike you down. Statistically you have a more than 1 in 5 chance of being a sufferer. (That is over 10 million people in the UK and over 50 million in the US!) You have read this far, so this may be a 'Dummies Guide', but you certainly cannot be a dummy! So get your blood pressure checked!