Healthy Living: Lower Your Blood Pressure Naturally!

This article mainly focuses on the high blood pressure which consists of the causes, symptoms and how to reduce high blood pressure by doing changes in lifestyle. The other part of article deals about the use of blood pressure monitor, a device which is used to measure blood pressure and how it regulates blood pressure.

Causes of high BP includes smoking, obesity/overweight, lack of physical activity, high salt intake, high fat diet, too much alcohol intake, stress, old age, genetics and diabetes. People with diabetes are at a higher risk of developing hypertension. It usually consists of no as such symptoms and sometimes it is referred as silent killer. However sometimes people with high BP possess symptoms like headache, dizziness, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting, chest pain and have problem in breathing. People often do not seek medical care until they develop symptoms such as organ damage caused by chronic high BP. The following types of organ damage are commonly observed are heart attack, heart failure, stroke, and kidney failure, eye damage with progressive vision loss and peripheral arterial disease which causes leg pain.

A blood pressure monitor is a device which is used to measure blood pressure. It is composed of an inflatable cuff that is wrapped around the upper arm. When the cuff is inflated it is allowed to restrict the blood flow and simultaneously mechanical manometer measure the pressure. Health is related deeply to life-style. Health may be defined as a potentiality i.e. the ability of an individual to modify itself continually with changing conditions of life not only in order to function good in the present but also to function better in future.
Blood pressure is the measure of the force of blood against the walls of arteries. BP is recorded as Systolic pressure and Diastolic pressure. Systolic is recorded when the heart muscle contracts. Diastolic is recorded when the heart is relaxed. Categories for BP Levels (measured in millimeters of mercury, or mmHg) are:

• Normal: Less than 120 over 80 (120/80)
• Prehypertension: 120-139 over 80-89
• Stage 1 high BP: 140-159 over 90-99
• Stage 2 high BP: 160 and above over 100 and above

Manual BP monitoring devices utilizes a stethoscope for auscultation. Auscultation is the action which helps in listening sounds from the heart, lungs, or other organs, using a stethoscope. Digital BP Monitoring devices use a manual or automatic cuff and works on a digital mode which indicates the readings on a large display screen. High BP is a condition in which BP remains abnormally high (140/90 mm Hg or greater). Low BP is a condition in which BP remains abnormally low (90/60 mm Hg or lower).

High BP contributes to an alarming number of deaths each year. Although it may not have apparent symptoms it leads to heart attacks, strokes and kidney failure. A person can reduce BP by implementing small changes in their lifestyles.

• A good workout ensures the heart uses oxygen more efficiently. Practice exercise in your daily routine will help to reduce the risk of high BP.
• Learning some slow breathing and meditation techniques can do you wonders. It will help reduce stress drastically and keep your blood pressure in check.
• Meditation plays an important role in reducing stress which keeps BP in check.
• Add potassium rich food in your diet. Fruits and vegetables are rich in potassium.
• Try to reduce intake of salt in your diet. Before adding extra pinch of salt to your food, at least think once that you really need it. Salt intake can be substituted with lime, garlic, pepper and spices.
• Alcohol intake may increases the risk of high BP. When alcohol is consumed in small amounts, it can prevent heart attacks and coronary artery disease. But, more than one or two drinks possess harmful effects.