Beat High Blood Pressure Without Drugs

Hypertension is another name for high blood pressure.

It is a condition that occurs when the pressure inside of your arteries is too high. Because it is a silent disorder the only way to detect hypertension is to have your blood pressure measured.

Hypertension is a very common problem that affects about 50 million people in the United States alone.

That’s about 1 out of every 4 adults. It is more common as people grow older and is more common and more serious in African Americans.

What do the numbers mean?

Blood pressure measures the natural pressure created by blood pumping through your veins and arteries. It is read as two numbers, one over the other.

The top number, or systolic blood pressure, measures the blood pressure when the heart pumps. The bottom number, or diastolic blood pressure, measures the blood pressure between heartbeats when the heart rests.

Hypertension is blood pressure that is over 140/90

Optimal blood pressure is under 120/80

Risk factors YOU can control

Nine out of every ten people who have hypertension don’t have a known cause for their condition.

A family history of hypertension is a risk factor for developing high blood pressure. But with or without a family history, you have a good chance of avoiding or controlling hypertension without drugs by:

Keeping your weight under control
Keeping physically fit
Eating a healthy diet low in added sodium and rich in nutrients potassium, magnesium and calcium
Limiting alcohol intake (no more than 2 mixed drinks or two 12 oz. cans of beer or two 6 oz. glasses of wine daily)
Never smoking or quitting immediately
Avoiding medications that might increase your blood pressure including decongestant nasal sprays and pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDS)

Therapeutic foods to bring your blood pressure down

Eat more vitamin C-rich foods: citrus fruits, strawberries, red peppers, dark green leafy vegetables
Eat more vitamin E-rich foods: almonds, hazelnuts, wheat germ, peanut butter
Eat more magnesium-rich foods: tomatoes, beans, nuts & seeds, squash, broccoli, dark green leafy vegetables, tofu, wheat germ, halibut, swiss chard
Eat more potassium-rich foods: grapefruit, grapes, tomatoes, beans, apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, corn, cucumbers, dates, salt-water fish, lamb
Eat more calcium-rich foods: yogurt, sardines, salmon (canned with bones), milk, cheese, dark green leafy vegetables, broccoli
Cook with less salt. Experiment with spices such as, parsley, basil, oregano, ginger, sesame, dill, cilantro, curry, pepper, and thyme to reduce the amount of salt used in cooking
Cut back on common table salt including that in processed foods and in many drugs (check labels for soda, sodium, or salt). Avoid commercial sauces like soy or Worcestershire and commercial salad dressings (check labels for sodium content)
When eating out, ask for your food cooked without added salt since you can’t control what kind and how much is used.

Physical activity can help reverse hypertension

Start slowly and build up gradually. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends 20 to 60 minutes of aerobic activity 3 to 5 days per week.

Aerobic activity will strengthen your heart and reduce your risk of developing heart disease. It will also help to control your weight. Try brisk walking, jogging, biking, hiking, group exercise classes (water aerobics, kick-boxing, judo), running stairs, rowing, and team sports (football, soccer).

Hypertension can lead to other serious health problems

Routinely monitoring your blood pressure is important.

Hypertension has been called a “silent killer” because it has no specific symptoms and it can lead to death.

People who have hypertension that is not treated with lifestyle modifications and medications (if necessary) are likely to experience one or several of the following conditions:

Coronary artery disease, heart attack, heart failure, or abnormal heart beat.
Kidney failure
Peripheral vascular disease, hardening and narrowing of the arteries (atherosclerosis) that supply blood to the arms, legs, and other parts of the body
Retinopathy, or damage to the tiny blood vessels that supply blood to the light-sensitive lining of the back of the eye
And finally, stroke

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Dr. Nicole Sundene

Dr. Nicole Sundene is a Naturopathic Physician and a graduate of Western Washington University for her undergraduate degree, and Bastyr University for her Doctorate of Naturopathic Medicine. She believes we should utilize natural medicines to treat the root cause of disease rather than just treating symptoms, as symptoms are a message of imbalance sent from the body and will persist until they are properly addressed. Dr. Sundene’s goal with Kitchen Table Medicine Kis to provide readers with the missing link in their health care experience. She works hard to share with everyone her latest health-promoting finds, tips, and tircks so that they can get the most out of life. Her mottos are “No hype...only help” and “Progress not perfection right?”

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