Tag Archive for exercises

How to lower high blood pressure

19/10/2010 admin causes of hypertension, lower high blood pressure No comments

An increasing number of people are seeking how to lower high blood pressure naturally without the use of anti-hypertension medications. I’m happy to announce that there are a number of ways to reduce blood pressure as alternatives to medications and each of these methods is directly related to the causes of hypertension.

The three main causes of hypertension are stress, poor diet, and lack of exercise. When you’re learned to tackle these three causes head on you’ve learned how to lower high blood pressure without the need for medications.

Starting with stress, I think most people would agree that we live in an increasingly stressful world with rising debt levels and decreasing opportunities. Many of us suffer high stress levels without even realizing it. Thankfully there are ways of getting it down to healthy levels along with your blood pressure. Yoga and meditation are the traditional methods but slow breathing exercises with the aid of an audio program like BreathEasy has become very popular. Another stress reducing program is Christian Goodman’s 3 exercises.

The bottom line is this: Reduce stress and you will reduce blood pressure because it is an established fact that stress is one of the major causes of hypertension.

Moving on to poor diet, it’s a fact that our eating habits here in the developed world has much to be desired. Fried food and fast food with too much bad cholesterol and salt is a principle cause of hypertension. Switching to a healthier diet with plenty of fruit, vegetables, nuts, and whole grains along with a reduction of salt and cholesterol can significantly lower blood pressure over time.

In the modern world we spend far too much time sitting in our cars or sitting in front of the TV and computers, physically inactive. We no longer spend enough time moving our bodies and getting sufficient exercise. A lack of exercise is regarded as one of the significant  causes of hypertension for many people.

The solution is simple: get some exercise. You can start with just a walk around the block once or twice a day to start if you’re seriously out of shape. Work your way up to a more rigorous routine when you feel ready. You’ll look better, feel better and be on you way to eliminating one of the major causes of hypertension.

As you can see, how to lower high blood pressure without the use of medications isn’t rocket-science. It’s actually pretty straightforward. The key is to stop reading about it, stop thinking about it, stop worrying about it – and just start doing it! Go for a walk, take 15 minutes to do a slow breathing exercise, prepare a good healthy meal for yourself – and you’re on the road to a healthier and happier life. Keep it up and you’ll never have to worry about how to lower high blood pressure again. That’s because you won’t have high blood pressure anymore.

The causes of hypertension can be tackled and eliminated for good.

Start today. :-)

Breatheasy slow breathing article

10/09/2010 admin Breatheasy, high blood pressure solutions, how to lower high blood pressure No comments

How Breathing Helps To Regulate Blood Pressure – And How You Can Take Advantage Of It

(This article has been reprinted courtesy of the highbloodpressurehq.com)
The ability to control blood pressure and other body processes naturally is the holy grail of alternative health practitioners. Now some of their claims once dismissed as preposterous are gaining mainstream respect. In particular, it seems they’re on to something with abdominal breathing and “chi-kung” – exercises that use breathing to heal and strengthen the heart and entire body.

Some of this should be no surprise. We all recognize that our respiratory rate increases in sync with our heartbeat (and blood pressure, although this we don’t feel) in response to fear, anger or other severe stress. The respiratory and circulatory systems are inextricably linked. So it seems only logical that heartbeat and blood pressure should also decrease in response to slowing the rate of breathing.

Of course, things that simply “have to be true” have a habit of turning out to be wrong but, luckily, this is a case where logic proves out. Clinical research confirms that breathing, among its many other benefits, does indeed influence the circulatory system and helps to regulate blood pressure.

How it does this is where science and alternative or Eastern medicine part ways. According to Eastern principles, breathing slowly and deeply into the abdomen strengthens the heart by stimulating “chi”, the mysterious energy said to be the life force. But despite the compelling effects of acupuncture, also said to be due to chi, there is no scientific evidence for its existence.

While chi remains a mystery there are several concrete physiological processes that can account for the effect of slow breathing on blood pressure:

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Our tension level is reflected in our breathing. When stressed we breathe quickly and shallowly, which builds up muscle tension, especially in the chest area. This constricts blood vessels and raises blood pressure.

Therapeutic slow breathing relaxes muscles deep into the chest, allowing major blood vessels to open and relieve pressure on the heart. The result is lower blood pressure.
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What is often called abdominal breathing also promotes circulation and can reduce blood pressure by taking some of the load off the heart. This should more correctly be called “diaphragmatic breathing”.

The diaphragm is a large sheet of muscle separating the thorax or chest cavity from the abdomen. What happens in diaphragmatic breathing is that the diaphragm expands downward to draw the breath deep into the lungs. This rhythmic expansion and contraction of the diaphragm, the largest and most powerful muscle in the body, acts as a membrane pump to aid the circulation of blood, especially venous blood from abdomen to thorax or upper chest area. With its large surface area the diaphragm can move a surprising quantity of blood.
*

The third way that slow breathing can lower blood press and benefit the heart is chemical, not mechanical, but stress again plays a role. Dr. David Anderson, a researcher with the National Institutes of Health, explains that under chronic stress people tend to take shallow breaths and hold them without being aware of it. He calls this inhibitory breathing. Breathing in this way knocks the blood chemistry out of balance, increasing its acidity. Acidic blood makes the kidneys less efficient at pumping out sodium and this in turn raises blood pressure.

Dr. Anderson believes that slow breathing may be able to reverse this effect. He says that people practicing slow breathing “may be changing their blood gases and the way their kidneys are regulating salt.”

The remarkable thing is that each of these processes mimics the action of one or more blood pressure medications, but in a totally natural way without side effects.

Here’s more good news: you don”t need to become a chi-kung master to take advantage of slow breathing. Simple breathing techniques have been developed that anyone can use to help reduce and control their own blood pressure in just minutes a day.

Although there are programs available that can make learning faster, easier and more effective, anyone can benefit from these techniques on their own almost immediately. The basics are simple:

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First, simply relax. Listening to slow, soothing music can help. Plus, music can actually help regulate your breathing as it wants to synchronize with the music’s slow beat and tempo.
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As you relax, slow your breathing as far as comfortable. Don’t go beyond your comfort threshold.
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After becoming comfortable with a slower rate of breathing start to extend the length of your exhale. Relax totally into it when exhaling. Shoot for gradually extending your it to about twice the length of your inhale.
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Don’t use any form of counting or other timekeeping; it will only disturb your relaxation. As long as your timing is in the ballpark you will feel the benefits.
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Continue for 15 minutes and repeat several times a week. Your breathing rate will gradually decrease a little each time while your benefits increase.

That’s all it takes; just 15 minutes a day. If this seems hard to believe it’s important to know that experience with artificial heart pumps has shown that resting the heart, even a diseased one, for just short periods can have amazing healing effects.

What’s more, clinical trials reveal that blood pressure reductions from slow breathing are cumulative. At first, they tend to be only temporary, like the effects of simple relaxation. But over the course of several weeks they build up, lasting longer each time until blood pressure remains lower around the clock. Isn’t that worth a pleasant 15 minutes a day?

Discover the quick and easy way to slow breathing for natural lower blood pressure.

highbloodpressurehq.com

see also: Breatheasy User Review

Exercise and high blood pressure

17/05/2010 admin Food & Exercise to lower blood pressure naturally, high blood pressure solutions No comments

Physical exercise is so important for your general state of well being as well as your blood pressure. There are really no substitutes for getting out there and getting your muscles moving, your heart pumping and your blood flowing through veins.

The lack of physical exercise we get in this post-industrial world where machines do all the ‘work’ is a principle cause of our general poor health – obesity, and high blood pressure high up on the list.

It is better to do some exercise everyday than a lot of exercise now and then. Set up a regular schedule – at least a half an hour a day – where you get off your sofa and move.

Your exercise regime should reflect you current state of health. Don’t overdo it at first. Start with small steps and work your way up. Even a walk around the block once a day is a good start.

I prefer to incorporate activities into my daily exercise so I get things done and feel a sense of achievement – as well as helping keep my blood pressure within acceptable ranges.

Last year I used to walk up the hill behind my house once a day to enjoy breath-taking views of the Bristol channel and the coast of Devonshire. The walk up was strenuous and really got my system working. My walk back down was relaxing in comparison and allowed my system to recuperate.

This year I’ve been concentrating on my backyard – getting all the brambles and ferns out with a pickax as well as building a drystone wall to keep the sheep out of my garden. I relegate one hour a day to this activity and it’s amazing how much I’ve achieved in such a short time.

Another sense of satisfaction is when I take my blood pressure. It is often below 120/80 these days. When you consider I was measuring 190+/115+ just a year ago, and prescription medications didn’t help, I’ve come along way.

Of course exercise alone is not enough to reduce blood pressure. Diet and relaxation are also essential components of natural blood pressure reduction.

Diet includes supplements. Because the interest in reducing blood pressure has increased over the past few years a number of companies have been working hard to make available  natural herbs and remedies that can help you get your BP down. Of course, not everybody needs them but for some stubborn blood pressure problems a natural boost in getting it down is just the ticket.

Beware however of getting conned by slick salesmen selling snake oil. Outrageous claims is often an indication of a con.

One natural supplement I have been getting positive feed back on is Alistrol. They have combined in a one-a-day pill four of the most powerful anti-hypertensive herbs.  One fellow who has been taking it for over a month now has reported a 20 point drop in his blood systolic blood pressure. It’s hard to argue with numbers.

If you’ve got “stubborn blood pressure” you might want to check it out. Click the link below:

ALISTROL Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

Although Alistrol will help you significantly lower your blood pressure I wouldn’t consider it as a substitute for a healthy lifestyle including good diet and exercise :-) .  combined together and you should achieve a healthy balance.

All the best,

Simon Foster

Is there an alternative high blood pressure “Quick Fix”?

11/11/2009 admin how to lower high blood pressure, hypertension dialogues 2 comments

High hopes for a quick-fix

When I was first diagnosed with high blood pressure (160/110) I realized I had to make some changes. I had read somewhere that garlic was helpful to lower blood pressure and too much salt raised it.  So I reduced my salt consumption and ate garlic everyday hoping that would fix it.

It didn’t. My blood pressure remained high and later on went up to 190+.

You see, we all want a simple, quick fix to our problems. But the fact is that when it comes to high blood pressure it’s not quite so straightforward.

Here are your options …

Lower blood pressure with diet.

For example, I was asked the other day,  “Does cayenne pepper reduce blood pressure?”  Yes, cayenne has been shown to be beneficial to your heart and circulatory system. And yes, cayenne can help reduce your blood pressure. But no, simply taking a dose of cayenne everyday probably isn’t going to be the answer to your blood pressure problems.

The same could be said for other beneficial foods and  such as garlic, celery, oatmeal, bananas, apples, tomatoes, onions, dark chocolate, you-name-it. All these foods can assist in reducing your blood pressure and getting your body back in balance. But they can’t do it by themselves.

Mind you,  I’m talking about seriously high blood pressure here. Sure, any one of these foods eaten daily might help reduce your blood pressure a few points. But is that going to be much consolation to someone banging in at 175+ systolic?

Medications – quick, but no fix

If you think prescription medication is the simple fix for high blood pressure, think again. The pharmaceutical industry has yet to produce a drug that cures high blood pressure.

Sure, there are pills that can lower your blood pressure – if you continue to take them day after day. But it’s not a real cure because your blood pressure will shoot back up if you stop taking them regularly. Add to that all the unpleasant side effects many of us suffer from taking these drugs and you can see why alternative methods of  lowering your blood pressure naturally are better.

Additionally, when you consider the statistic that more people die of heart disease while on anti-hypertension medications than those who aren’t on them, you realise that these medications don’t offer the protection that we might have hoped for.

How to lower blood pressure naturally

If you have high blood pressure and want to lower it without medications (or make a gradual shift from medications to natural cures), here’s the skinny: you have to move to a healthier diet and compliment it with exercises.

Simply reducing salt consumption and eating a clove of garlic a day won’t cut it.

But don’t despair.  Reducing your blood pressure naturally isn’t rocket science. Anyone can do it.

And no, you’re not going to have to give up everything pleasurable in life and live like a monk.

The truth is, once you start shifting to a healthy blood pressure lifestyle you’ll find yourself enjoying life more, not less. Remember, good health is the underpinning of real  happiness and pleasure.

In a nutshell, you can lower your blood pressure naturally by:

  • lowering your stress levels through meditation, Yoga, etc. (I prefer to use slow breathing exercises).
  • get your heart beating and blood flowing through physical exercise such as walking, jogging, sking, etc. (I climb the hill behind my house regularly).
  • eat less “bad” foods such as table salt, trans-fats, etc.
  • eat more “good” foods such as vegetables, olive oil, fruit, etc.

That’s basically it. Using these techniques I have managed to lower my dangerously high blood pressure of 195 over 120 range in March (2009) to  125 over 85 range in the course of 4 to 5 months.

Help is at hand

lower blood pressure naturally guideI got help from Kevin Riley’s excellent 12 week program for lowering high blood pressure.

It comes in a thoroughly enjoyable book called  Get Natural!.

It covers all aspects of shifting to a healthy, happy lower blood pressure lifestyle but with a special emphasis on food.

If you love eating you will enjoy this book.

 

Normal Blood Pressure vs Ideal Blood Pressure

06/07/2009 admin hypertension dialogues 2 comments

Anytime I browse the web for high blood pressure articles I come across a boat load of conformist scaremongering.

It’s as if a party line on high blood pressure had been handed out and everyone is preaching from the same sermon.

The pharmaceutical bosses must be smiling themselves to sleep every night. Sales are good – and increasing.

Here’s an example I came across a few minutes ago form www.naturalproductssolution.com/devastating-effects-of-high-blood-pressure

Devastating Effects of High Blood Pressure

High Blood Pressure also called hypertension, is elevated pressure of the blood in the arteries. Blood pressure is the measurement of force applied to artery walls High blood pressure has to be taken seriously. It is a serious disease, the cause of which is more or less unknown. What we do know is that left untreated, high blood pressure over time can lead to serious heart disease and other vascular troubles, even death. Health professionals think that there are some genetic factors but as yet they cannot pin down the range of specific genes involved that cause high blood pressure. Studies suggest that people suffering from chronic high blood pressure may come from autonomic nervous system that controls heart rate, blood pressure and the blood vessels.

Detrimental effects of high blood pressure

It is the reason why high blood pressure has been called the “silent killer”. High blood pressure has detrimental effects on many organs like kidneys, eyes, and heart. High blood pressure is the primary cause of death in over 120,000 cases last year and contributes to 75% of all strokes and heart attacks and even more in African Americans. Research suggests that people with mild high blood pressure have three times more likely to have a heart attack as people with normal blood pressure and ten times the normal risk of stroke depending on the severity of the blood pressure. High blood pressure can also cause mental problems such as memory lost .

Fortunately, controlling blood pressure with the proper treatment can reduce or prevent those health complications. Healthy life style is a must for anyone with blood pressure (120/80mm Hg) and above in order to prevent serious complications of that disease.

My response:

High Blood Pressure is not a disease – it’s a condition brought on when a body gets out of balance.

High Blood pressure doesn’t “kill people”. It’s not a ‘thing’ – it’s a measurement. Of course extremely high blood pressure is sign that your circulatory system is approaching collapse. So heed its warnings.

120/80 is the now established ideal blood pressure rating – not a number that everyone can or should try to achieve (no more than everyone should try to force their feet into the ideal sized shoe.)

Anyone can reduce their blood pressure to a safe level (under 140/105) through exercise and diet.

Forcing it down with medications (and possibly suffering undesirable side effects) is not very wise … especially considering that statistically more deaths occur from heart disease and stroke while people are on these medications than those who do no on them.

Unfortunately the medical establishment as a whole has caught on and continue to push pills left right and center.

The answer? Lower your blood pressure naturally. Get your body back in balance through diet and exercise. Get healthy again. If I can do it anyone can.

Scientists Identify Genetic Links To High Blood Pressure

23/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.lsblog.org

An international scientific study involving researchers from the University of Glasgow has identified eight common genetic differences which may increase the risk of high blood pressure.

The University researchers, led by Professor Anna Dominiczak and Professor John Connell, contributed to the global study of genes in high blood pressure through participation in the Medical Research Council’s British Genetics of Hypertension study.

High blood pressure – or hypertension – affects at least eighteen million people in the UK and is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Although lifestyle factors such as smoking and diet can raise blood pressure, it also runs in families suggesting a genetic link.

The genes identified by the researchers are thought to influence blood pressure in different ways: for example, through the production of chemicals, known as steroids, which affect how the kidneys process salt; or how the blood vessels regulate blood pressure.

Although the effect of each of the new gene variants is small, when combined their influence could significantly raise a person’s risk of stroke or heart attack.

The role of steroid hormones in controlling hypertension is one of the key areas studied within the British Heart Foundation Glasgow Cardiovascular Research Centre at the University.

Prof Connell, a senior researcher and Professor of Endocrinology, whose research group has a particular interest in steroids and blood pressure, said: “This latest study increases understanding of the underlying causes of high blood pressure, why some people are more susceptible to it than others and opens up further avenues for research into potential treatments.

“It is important to stress that environmental factors also play a big part so diet, smoking and weight control all important methods of controlling high blood pressure.”

In the new study, scientists looked at the human genome for genetic variations affecting blood pressure. They compared 2.5 million genetic variants from more than 34,000 people with measurements of their blood pressure. They found eight genetic differences linked to changes in blood pressure.

The study, published in Nature Genetics, involved over 150 scientists from 93 centres in Europe and the USA with funding from a variety of sources including the Medical Research Council, the British Heart Foundation and the Wellcome Trust.

Source
Nexxus, Scotland

Simon Foster

Simon Foster

The link between genetics and high blood pressure is very convincing and goes a way to explain why some people (such as myself) suffer from extreme high blood pressure while living an otherwise healthy lifestyle.

Some people are simply programmed to have high blood pressure.

This doesn’t mean that it’s OK and isn’t a health risk.

It does mean that we are going to have to work a little harder lowering our blood pressure.

It means we are going to have to do more than simply change our diet and exercise each day.

It means we have to re-program our bodies to function with lower and safer levels of blood pressure.

I have discovered that this re-programming is entirely possible without recourse to prescription drugs and their undesirable side-effects.

Blood Pressure Monitors

19/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments

From: www.quickestwaytoloseweight.org/controlling-your-high-blood-pressure-by-monitoring-your-pulse-rates/

There are many ways to get the blood pressure nowadays. There are the coin-operated machines in stores, battery-operated gadgets or the conventional type known as sphygmomanometer.

To get the blood pressure using the sphygmomanometer, wrap the cuff or band around the arm to stop the flow of blood. Place a stethoscope to an artery below the band then slowly release the band. When the blood begins to flow, the systolic pressure or high number comes through. The beats will stop to pave the way for the diastolic pressure or low number and the sound becomes steady.

To operate, the band is pumped then pressure is released from a mercury sensing device. This is commonly seen in most doctor’s office. In like manner, there are already new electronic devices that can sense sensitive and objective sounds, hence, the stethoscope is no longer needed.

It is important to take blood pressure and pulse rates daily by yourself, by others or by a doctor. In some cases, some patient’s tend to be on edge when a doctor takes his blood pressure, causing an artificial rise in pressure.This is termed as white-coat hypertension.

Controlling your high blood pressure by monitoring your pulse rates in a diary will help monitor the wear and tear the body is receiving. As such, proper control in weight and intakes of sugar and cholesterol rich foods should be avoided.

Response:

It’s a good idea to be able to monitor your own blood
pressure. Measurements in at the doctor’s office are often artificial due to “white-coat syndrome”.

Even though I feel perfectly calm inside my BP is 20 to 30 points higher at the doctors than when I get back in the comfort of my home.

Here in the UK we have very a very accurate digital BP monitors that memorize up to 60+ BP readings and can play them back to you. The cost is well under £15 (say $20) so it’s a worthwhile investment if you suffer from high BP like I do.

If you’re from the UK you can get a good deal on a blood pressure monitor at www.amazon.co.uk/bloodpressuremonitors

Lower blood pressure through exercise?

11/05/2009 admin hypertension dialogues No comments
Simon Foster

Simon Foster

I live in Wales a mountainous country with plenty of hiking opportunities.

This morning I took a hike up the mountain on the other side of the valley and ejoyed the sun and blustry wind. I have been hiking up on the mountains a frew times a week over the past couple of months.

Two things to note:

  1. I don’t find it as tiring as a did, say, a month ago. My heart and lungs are adjusting to my new climbing hobby.
  2. After getting back home and taking a 20 minute rest (I live part way up a steep slope on the other side of the valley (Cwm Garw), I monitored my blood pressure expecting it to be high after such exertion. To my pleasant surprise my blood pressure quite low (for me).

It would seem that exercising my heart and lungs is contributing to lowering my bloob pressure. OK, maybe that’s not shocking groundbreaking news, but I had always considered myself quite fit previously. Maybe not!

Continued hikes are now on the agenda. Another piece of the jigsaw.

High Blood Pressure – Why and How

29/04/2009 admin high blood pressure solutions No comments

I have been diagnosed with blood pressure 195/120. That’s not good. 120/85 is considered “normal”.

So the two questions are:

  1. Why is my blood pressure so high?
  2. And how do I get it back down?

Neither of these questions have simple staightforward answers or solutions.

The best answer I can come up with for question 1 is ‘genetics’. What else could it be? I am not obese. I’m not a chain smoking alcholic. I live a reasonable stress-free life. My diet has been, not great perhaps, but not terrible either. So it must be genetics – and possibly built up but hidden emotion stress – I sometimes wonder.

The solution? Now that’s really the sixty-four thousand dollar question. One thing is for sure – those professing to know the cure have very different and even conflicting opinions.

But I’ve reduced it to three approaches:

  1. Change / addition to diet (possibly including ingesting prescription drugs).
  2. Physical exercises.
  3. Mental exercises.

All ‘remedies’ I’ve accessed and tried so far can be summed up with one or more of these approaches.

Apart from the ACE inhibitor my doctor prescribed, (that after 1 month showed zero results), I’ve downloaded and are using to other alternative approaches.

One is a comprehensive book on hypertension with a lot of information on useful foods and potions to lower blood pressure. Hence I would say it falls into solution category 1. You can check it out from this link- www.bloodpressurenormalized.com. It’s a little over-hyped and that initially put me off but in fact its got tons of good info to use.

The other approach I’m experimenting with is three exercises that can be performed with the assistance of  audio tracks. They’re simple enough to perform and don’t take up too much time.

My final conclusion as to they are working or  just a waste of time is out. But first indications are that they may be valid. After doing an ‘emotional release’ exercise the other day I monitored my blood pressure and it had dropped to 150 / 95 – the lowest it’s been for many months.

But is it sustainable? Or just a temporary relief? The verdict is out at the moment. The link for this website is here: www.highbloodpressure.ws

It would be great to hear from other high blood pressure sufferers if they have tried either of the aids and what the results were – positive and/or negative.

I’d also like to hear of other kinds of treatments successes. I hopes someone will read this someday.

Now I’m rambling.

My next post I’ll share details of the things I’m trying and the results – real and percieved.

Take care,

Simon

 
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