Learn How to Quickly Lower Blood Pressure
Drink Less Caffeine
It's hard to cut caffeine completely out of your diet, especially if you're one of millions who enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning. However, people are affected differently by caffeine. If you don't have a home blood pressure measuring device, make the investment now. Once you have one, you can perform your own caffeine tests and report the results to your doctor. 10 minutes before and 20 minutes after a cup of coffee (or other caffeinated drink) simply take a reading. If your blood pressure spikes, you may be sensitive to caffeine, and you may need to look into a caffeine-free diet.
Aerobic Exercise
No, we don't mean enrolling in a class. Simple things such as running, walking and swimming are all excellent aerobic exercises! This type of exercise strengthens your entire body, and has been shown to lower blood pressure. Even if you can only squeeze in a half-hour walk each day, the effects will add up!
Only you and your doctor know your health history, so you should always consult your doctor prior to adding in a new exercise routine. Your doctor may say do as much as you want or he may say to take it slow in the beginning. This will all depend on the current status of your health.
Do You Eat Too Much Salt?
It is a known fact that people with high blood pressure should avoid salt as much as possible. Avoid fast foods and processed foods as they are usually high in sodium. If you go out for dinner to a fine restaurant always taste your food before you consider adding salt to it. Many people have a bad habit of shaking salt all over their meal without tasting it first. If you cook at home, it is easy to cut back on how much salt you use. There are many spices available at the grocery store which are a great alternative when you are looking for something to add more flavor to the food that you are preparing.
Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
Cutting out drinking entirely is usually not necessary. In fact, many studies suggest that a light amount of drinking is actually good for your blood pressure! However, if you often have several drinks in quick succession, you should stop. This type of drinking can raise your blood pressure. Experts agree that a safe and healthy number of drinks per day is one for women and two for men. As always, ask your doctor if these numbers are safe for you, and be sure to ask about potential interactions with any medications you're taking.
As you can see, lowering your blood pressure quickly isn't as hard as it might seem. With a few healthy lifestyle choices, you can start seeing results almost immediately. Even better, these changes are healthy for your entire body!
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