5 Natural Ways to Lower Blood Pressure|How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally

High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a primary risk factor for heart disease and stroke. It is estimated that 60 million Americans have high blood pressure from the age 6 upwards. Yes that's right! Even children that young can have high blood pressure! 60 million Americans constitute about 1/5 of the total population, so it is important that we have our blood pressure checked regularly. The fact that high blood pressure is often called the 'silent killer' is another important reason to get regular checkups and ensure you have good blood pressure levels. The symptoms of rising blood pressure levels can go unnoticed because they are vague and can be easily confused as the symptoms of many different kinds of health conditions or problems. Initially these symptoms may also be too weak to cause alarm. The four main symptoms are headaches, dizziness, blurred vision and nausea.

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure or you simply wish to avoid developing high blood pressure, there are natural ways to lower blood pressure that can make a big difference. A combination of eating the right kinds of foods and exercising, along with avoiding the wrong kinds of foods and certain lifestyle choices, is really the bottom line. So lets start with a list of risk factors.

1) Sodium. Too much salt in the diet is a key risk factor for developing high blood pressure. Try using alternatives for flavoring. There are many kinds of spices that we can use to substitute salt. LoSalt is another option because it contains less sodium, but try not to overdo it.

2) Excessive alcohol intake raises blood pressure. Drinking 2 or more alcoholic drinks each day is enough to raise blood pressure. The exception is red wine, which is actually good for heart health in moderation. One 6oz glass a day is the recommended dose. Any higher and the benefits begin to reverse.

3) A sedentary lifestyle is another major risk factor. People who exercise regularly or have physically demanding jobs are more likely to maintain good blood pressure levels.

4) Birth control pills may raise blood pressure in some women. If you are concerned about this talk to your doctor about alternatives.

5) Being overweight raises blood pressure. If we carry excess pounds then the heart has to work harder at delivering blood to these extra cells.

6) Some drugs can raise blood pressure such as amphetamines, diet pills and some pills that are used for treating allergies and colds.

7) Smoking causes a hardening of the arteries which in turn raises blood pressure.

8) There are also risk factors that are out of our control such as gender (males have a higher risk), genetics, race (African Americans are at a greater risk) and age. However making the right lifestyle and food choices can make a big difference in offsetting these risks.

So taking heed of the risk factors above and making amendments were necessary is an important start for lowering blood pressure. So lets look at what foods and exercises work best for and are effectively natural cures for high blood pressure.

1) Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the best foods for lowering blood pressure and contributing to overall cardiovascular and heart health. People who eat diets high in omega-3 fatty acids are at a considerable less risk of developing heart disease and all of its symptoms. The Mediterranean diet is one such example in which lots of omega-3 rich fish are eaten on a regular basis. Fish rich in omega-3 include darker varieties such as salmon, sardines, mackerel and albacore tuna. Swapping out red meat in the diet and replacing with these kinds of fish may be one of the best the best things we can do for lowering blood pressure. Red meat contains a different kind of fat - saturated fat, which has the opposite effect of omega-3 and is associated with high blood pressure, high cholesterol and heart disease. Eating these fish at least 3 times per week is highly recommended. Taking high quality fish oil supplements everyday is also a very good idea.

2) There are also plant sources of omega-3 that we can benefit from too. Flax seeds and their oils and walnuts are good example. Dark leafy greens like kale and spinach also contain small amounts of omega-3.

3) Potassium, magnesium are calcium are three minerals that are natural cures for lowering blood pressure. The three videos above explain how these three minerals help.

4) Exercise. Research shows that even walking briskly for 30 minutes several times a week can provide great benefit and lower systolic blood pressure by 5-10 points! For optimum blood pressure lowering effects the general consensus is to to do perform aerobic exercises for at least 30 minutes most days of the week. Swimming, jogging, elliptical machines and rowing are all great options. Intense weight training is also a really great way to lower blood pressure.

5) Breathe! Breathing exercises and meditation practices are a great way to help calm down our minds and our bodies including the cardiovascular system. Research show that this kind of relaxation really does help us to de-stress and consequently lower blood pressure. Ommmm.