Blood Pressure: Hypertension Can Be Controlled Even Without Medication, Learn Natural Ways

A healthy lifestyle plays an important role in treating high blood pressure. You can successfully keep it in control without using any medication, just by keeping a healthy lifestyle.

High blood pressure or hypertension is a dangerous condition, which has affected millions of people. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), hypertension is a leading cause of untimely deaths worldwide.

Once detected, it needs to be treated or else could prove fatal. There are a number of ways to control blood pressure. It can be controlled within a short time by using a medication, but it can be permanently controlled by healthy lifestyle choices like these listed below. 

Reduce Sodium Intake: High blood pressure and excessive Sodium intake have been linked in many research studies. Excessive Sodium intake can also trigger strokes in humans. Even a small reduction in sodium intake in daily amounts can lower blood pressure by 5 to 6 mmHg.

The effect of sodium varies from person to person. In general, people should stay away from salt-laden processed foods to stay healthy. Under normal circumstances, sodium consumption should not exceed more than 2,300 mg in a day.

Increase Potassium Intake: Potassium is essential for people struggling with high blood pressure. The body needs it in small amounts to get rid of excess sodium and to ease the pressure in the nerves. Processed and packaged foods are mostly high in sodium and to balance it, you are advised to include foods with high volumes of potassium in your diet.

Green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and fruits like bananas, oranges, avocados, cantaloupes, apricots, and foods like milk, yogurt, nuts, and seeds as well as fish like tuna and salmon are sources of sodium.  

Regular Exercising: It is necessary for everyone to exercise regularly. Research suggests that in order to stay healthy and reduce the risk of long-term diseases, 30-45 minutes of workouts should be done on a daily basis. This becomes even more necessary for people suffering from the problem of blood pressure. Regular exercise can strengthen your heart, make it more effective at pumping blood, and reduce the pressure on the arteries. Even 40 minutes of jogging daily is enough to keep you healthy and fit.  

Quit Smoking & Limit Alcohol consumption: Both Cigarettes and Alcohol can contribute to high blood pressure. According to research, Alcohol consumption accounts for 16 percent of the cases of high blood pressure worldwide. Both Alcohol and Nicotine can elevate your blood pressure for a short period of time and can damage blood vessels.