Managing High Blood Pressure or Hypertension

Covering tips for managing high blood pressure naturally without medication, through diet and in pregnancy

Managing hypertension in the next important step after diagnosis. It refers to measures that can be taken to prevent normal blood pressure from becoming high blood pressure and those taken to keep already existing blood pressure under control. Depending on your high blood pressure range doctors will make reference to hypertension guidelines to help them decide the best route in treating high blood pressure and managing it.

Management of high blood pressure can involve medication, lifestyle modifications or simply natural methods without any medications whatsoever. Individuals with stage 2 (179/109mmHg) hypertension to stage 3 (180/110mmHg) high blood pressure will find it inevitable in most cases to manage high blood pressure using hypertension medications such as diuretics for high blood pressure.

This is because the high blood pressure would have entered into the moderate to severe hypertension zone which will require strong and immediate intervention to prevent organ damage and the possibility of accelerated hypertension also known as malignant hypertension.

General tips for managing high blood pressure

Even in cases were blood pressure readings are within normal blood pressure range it is important to implement blood pressure management techniques to prevent it from becoming high blood pressure. The first and foremost important tip is to ensure that you make an effort to always have your blood pressure checked at least once a year if it is normal.

You may do this at the doctor's office if you do not suffer from the infamous white coat syndrome with distorts blood pressure reading by elevation due to anxiety of being in the doctor's office. Alternatively you may invest in a digital home blood pressure monitor.

If you are on blood pressure medications ensure that you take your medication as prescribed. Failure to take medications as prescribed will possibly lead to resistant hypertension a form of hypertension which does not respond to treatment. When managing high blood pressure using drugs, take extra caution to note any presenting blood pressure medications side effects for the purposes of notifying your doctor to adjust your treatment specifically to deal with unpleasant side effects.

Tips for managing high blood pressure naturally without medications

People with normal blood pressure to early stage hypertension can manage high blood pressure simply by using non medication natural means. Exercise is an important way of keeping your blood pressure in check. The association between exercise and blood pressure is not disputed. Certain physical exercises of an aerobic nature are extremely beneficial to high blood pressure patients.

Aerobic exercise particularly benefits the arteries, the heart and the muscles without unnecessarily putting your heart under severe stress and demand as achieved via heavy weight lifting something that is prohibited for high blood pressure patients. Exercise also directly facilitates helpful loss of weight which is an important natural way of managing high blood pressure.

Obesity and being overweight have been proven to be linked to causes of high blood pressure. Losing weight will reduce demand on your heart thereby reducing blood pressure. Other important tips for managing hypertension will include cutting back severely on alcohol consumption as well as tobacco use.

The negative association between chronic consumption of alcohol high blood pressure is well known and scientifically established. Alcohol damages nerves which in turn leads to high blood pressure. A severe cut back in alcoholic drinks has been shown to cause sharp drops in high blood pressure.

Other people have found success in managing high blood pressure using herbs that lower blood pressure. Herbs that lower blood pressure will include names such as kava kava and cayenne pepper and many others which are available as supplements in capsules and tablets some even as tea and greens for salads.

Caution concerning use of herbs for managing high blood pressure centers on drug interaction with drugs for other ailments such as diabetes. Some herbs such as hawthorn are known to be incompatible with medicines for Parkinson's disease. Allergies may also occur in some people due to use of herbs for high blood pressure. Careful selection is needed avoiding herbs that can turn out to be harmful instead of useful.

Tips for managing high blood pressure through diet

What people eat has long been shown to be of paramount importance to blood pressure health. To successfully keep your blood pressure in control there will be a mandatory need to introduce a different and healthier dietary regime. The first key change to your diet should be a severe cut back on salt consumption.

The association between salt and high blood pressure shows that sodium in salt is responsible for blood pressure elevation in a huge number of people. Instead of conforming to the estimated daily average sodium consumption per adult of 5300mg, there will be need to reduce your sodium consumption to the recommended 2300mg per day or less.

You may also consider eating sodium substitutes such as celtic salt which contains no sodium even though it might have an unbearable taste for some. Avoidance of particular nutritional supplements that contain sodium will be necessary. A good example is that of glucosamine sulfate. The link between glucosamine and blood pressure demonstrates the negative association of the two. Glucosamine is a supplement used to help with knee cartilage restoration. It is used mostly by athletes and runners as well as dancers.

Doctors recommend managing high blood pressure using a specially researched and approved hypertension diet known as DASH which in full means Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. DASH is a low sodium diet and has less cholesterol. In general it contains foods that lower blood pressure. Some hypertension patients have also reported success with celery following the known link between celery and blood pressure.

Tips for managing high blood pressure in pregnancy

High blood pressure in pregnancy is very common amongst pregnant women. It is in fact more common than low blood pressure in pregnancy. Normal blood pressure for a pregnant woman should be 120/80mmHg. However doctors may allow it to raise to 140/90mmHg before raising alarm. Managing high blood pressure during pregnancy should actually begin before conception when a decision is made to change diet, quit smoking and drinking in preparation of the pregnancy.

During pregnancy gestational hypertension is managed by eating less sodium and ensuring abundant home rest to reduce stress and anxiety. Managing blood pressure during pregnancy is not much different as when one is not pregnant. Light doctor approved exercises will also be necessary to keep you healthy and your blood pressure under control. Use of medications will be expedient were no harmful effects are thought to occur to the unborn baby

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