Treating High Blood Pressure Without Medication

Treating High Blood Pressure Naturally

Treating high blood pressure naturally will be your doctor's first choice for dealing with hypertension. Formulating a plan for treating high blood pressure without medication is definitely preferable to treating it with drugs, although admittedly, there are some very effection blood pressure drugs currently on the market.

High blood pressure contributes to numerous health problems besides the obvious ones like heart attack and stroke. Treating high blood pressure can help prevent kidney failure and loss of vision, two other major health threats attributed to hypertension.

If your doctor has told you to try treating high blood pressure naturally as an alternative to medication, here are some ways to do it.

Eat high blood pressure diet foods A healthy diet is the most important place to start. Eat larger portions of fruits, vegetables, grains and nuts and fewer foods with high concentrations of cholesterol and fat.

Nutritionists also say that eating smaller meals, but more meals during the course of the day, is good. This flies in the face of the tradition of "three squares a day," and is also at odds with the habit of huge family dinners. But it works. Recent studies indicating that including fewer carbohydrates in your diet will also help lower your blood pressure.

Limit your salt intake Find foods you enjoy that taste good without being packed with sodium. High concentrations of salt in your diet greatly increases your chances of getting high blood pressure.

There is a relationship between high blood pressure and obesity Keeping your weight down can also help lower your blood pressure. Carrying around as little as 10 pounds over your recommended body weight greatly increases your risk of getting hypertension.

High blood pressure and alcohol consumption While there is some evidence that a modest amount of red wine may be good for your heart, excessive amounts of alcohol in any form will definitely raise your blood pressure. Drinking on an empty stomach can be especially harmful.

Reduce smoking, or better yet, quit all together. This is a tall order for some people, but the health risks of smoking have been medically established for almost 50 years, and the evidence is incontrovertible.

You can certainly ask your doctor about taking blood pressure medications, but your doctor will tell you that prescription drugs are far less preferable than making the lifestyle changes mentioned above.

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