The battle of high blood pressure rages across the United States, afflicting 20–50% of all adults. With numbers like these, it is obvious that treating high blood pressure, especially in more natural ways than medication, should be a top priority.
Defining High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is a measure of how hard the heart must work to pump blood through the body in combination with the amount of blood available. The harder the heart has to work because of narrow or rigid arteries or the more blood the heart pumps, the higher the blood pressure.
Hypertension, dangerously high blood pressure, is defined by systolic pressures (the higher number) of more than 130 mmHg and/or diastolic pressures (the lower number) of more than 80 mmHg. Hypertension is a common problem, and once a person enters adulthood, blood pressure levels should be checked regularly. Treating high blood pressure becomes more important as a person ages.
The Dangers of Hypertension
High blood pressure has a clear association with life-threatening conditions such as stroke, heart attack, and other cardiovascular disease, which, according to the World Health Organization, causes more than 15 million deaths every year. The danger is two-fold. Hypertension often goes undetected because it rarely produces noticeable symptoms. If symptoms like headaches and nosebleeds do arise, they are frequently dismissed or attributed to something else.
The other factor that makes hypertension so dangerous is that small changes in pressure levels, for example an increase from 115 to 135 mmHg, doubles the risk of a cardiovascular event. The other side of that coin offers hope: often small reductions in blood pressure values can greatly decrease overall risk.
Managing High Blood Pressure
The medical go-to method for treating high blood pressure is medication. Unfortunately, many patients have difficulty adhering to a pharmacological regimen or do not see results when they do. Prescription drugs also come with a slew of unwanted side effects. Fortunately, there are more natural and effective ways to lower blood pressure levels.
Lifestyle Changes
High blood pressure levels have clear links to age, weight, and consumption habits. While you cannot take off years, you can improve your blood pressure levels by watching what you put in your body. Eat moderately, avoiding foods with high sodium content or otherwise rich in saturated fats. Those wanting to improve their blood pressure values should also avoid the use of tobacco and alcohol.
Treating High Blood Pressure with Exercise
Blood pressure can be reduced to healthy levels with even simple exercises and stretches performed properly at home. Consult with your chiropractor about other treatments recommended for you, and remember to record your initial pressure levels before being an exercise routine. This will allow you to accurately track your progress.
Strengthen the Diaphragm
Deep regulated breathing is one of the best secrets for treating high blood pressure. Deep breaths lower the heart rate, dilate the blood vessels, and increase the amount of oxygen in the blood. Controlling your breathing, in addition to improving blood pressure levels, also strengthens the diaphragm, the arcing muscle responsible for the expansion and contraction of a body’s lung capacity.
This exercise is the easiest to perform and requires no additional tools. Simply inhale at 75% of your lungs’ maximum capacity then exhale completely. Repeat the process at least 30 times. Research has indicated that repeating this kind of controlled breathing six days a week for at least six weeks can reduce systolic blood pressure levels by 10 mmHG.
For a modification that is even more effective, you might try adding resistance to your breathing exercises. This can be accomplished by utilizing tools such as the BreathEasy Lung Exerciser, which is readily available commercially. Adding resistance to diaphragm exercises has been shown to reduce systolic levels by almost 16 mmHg and diastolic pressures by roughly 7 mmHg.
Facilitated Stretching
As blood pressure is a measure of how readily blood can move through the arteries, it is no surprise that increasing the flexibility of the femoral and brachial arteries facilitates better blood pressure levels. This can be accomplished through regular stretching such as the reverse warrior yoga pose.
To perform this full-body stretch without hurting yourself, we recommend using a door frame for support. Stand under the door jam with both feet apart, hips facing toward the room with the chest facing the frame. Extend both arms outward at about shoulder height, holding the door frame with one hand, then raise the other hand toward the ceiling.
Hold the pose for 45 seconds before switching sides. You should stretch each side three times, resting briefly between each repetition to allow the blood to return to your arms. Repeat the exercise several times each week.
Isometric Training
Isometric exercise involves contracting the muscles without visibly changing the angle of a joint. It stimulates muscle activity and blood flow and causes moderate reductions in blood pressure. You can do your own isometric training at home using nothing but two soft foam balls. Squeeze the foam, one ball in each hand, at about 30% effort and hold for two minutes.
Resting briefly between each repetition, repeat the exercise for a total of four times. Treating high blood pressure with this kind of isometric exercise three times a week can produce systolic reductions of almost 12.5 mmHg and diastolic decrease of 14.9 mmHg.
