Friday, October 28, 2011

Treat Hypertension Naturally

Treat Hypertension Naturally


Hypertension is caused by high blood pressure and is traditionally treated with expensive prescription medications that can cause severe side effects. While some people may have a genetic disposition to developing hypertension, high blood pressure is almost always brought on by stress and unhealthy habits. With dedication, lifestyle changes and natural treatments, hypertension can be effectively treated without drugs.


Instructions


1. Eat a healthy diet rich in whole foods, fresh fruits and vegetables, unrefined and unprocessed foods. A healthy diet is the most important ingredient in any natural medicine treatment and is essential to ensure sufficient intake of the vitamins and minerals the body needs to maintain homeostasis. Particularly helpful foods for preventing and reducing hypertension include raw fruits and vegetables, onions, garlic, soy, whole grains, olive oil, nuts, seeds and fish such as halibut, salmon, sardines and tuna.


2. Decrease your intake of sodium (salt) and increase potassium to reduce hypertension. Always read the labels of processed or prepared foods and avoid those with high levels of sodium. In addition to reducing salt in your diet, you should also avoid sugar, fried foods, caffeine and sugar.








3. Drink lots of water, which not only ensures proper bodily function and the elimination of waste products and toxins from your system, it can also greatly reduce hypertension naturally. As a general rule, drink 50 percent of your body weight in ounces daily. That is, if you weigh 200 pounds you should drink 100 oz. of water everyday.


4. Increase exercise, particularly those, which help to reduce stress such as yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates. Exercise can help you lose weight, reduce fat in the bloodstream, decrease stress and prevent or reduce hypertension.


5. Make green tea everyday. Studies have shown that people who drink green tea greatly reduce their risks of stroke, heart disease and cancer. Green tea can help prevent and reduce hypertension by increasing the levels of good cholesterol in the blood which helps to eliminate plaque that forms on the arterial walls. The antioxidant effects of green tea stop the oxidation of cholesterol in the arteries, reducing hypertension.

Tags: reduce hypertension, blood pressure, fruits vegetables, greatly reduce, healthy diet, high blood