How to Take Easy Steps to Lower Your Blood Pressure

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure this article will offer tips on lowering your blood pressure.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 

   The first and easiest step to lower your blood pressure is to follow a diet that has a lot of fruits and vegetables and is low in fat. Eating fruits and vegetables that are rich in potassium and magnesium can help lower systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

2. In addition to a healthy low fat diet that is rich in potassium and magnesium you should start choosing foods that are lower in salt and sodium. Most of us consume more salt than the body needs. The current recommendation is to consume about 1 teaspoon of table salt a day. That includes ALL salt and sodium consumed, including that used in cooking and at the table.

3. Another addition to your diet should be fiber. Whole-grain foods are good source of fiber. Fiber has been shown to help reduce high blood pressure levels.

4. 

   Losing weight can also lower blood pressure. Losing only 10 pounds can improve your blood pressure. If you are following a healthy low fat diet that is full of fruits and vegetables this should be fairly easy to accomplish. Your blood pressure raises as body weight increases.

5. 

   Exercising is one of the most important steps you can take to help control high blood pressure. Get started by doing 30 minutes of a activity on most days of the week. Walking is a great exercise that anyone can do.

6. 

   When the you have high blood pressure the amount of Alcoholic beverages that you drink should be limited. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure. If you drink alcoholic beverages, have only a moderate amount — one drink a day for women; two drinks a day for men.

7. 

   Caffeine has also been found to cause negative effects in people who have high blood pressure. Caffeine lowers the amount of calcium and other nutrients that can be absorbed by the body.

8. 

   If you smoke, quit. Smoking itself does not cause high blood pressure but it does raise your blood pressure when you are smoking. Smoking along with high blood pressure can increase the risk of having a heart attack.

[jujudy]

on 4/20/2009 Good advice on steps to take to lower blood pressure. Thanks. 5*s.