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Prolonged high blood pressure can pose significant risks to vital organs in the body particularly the heart, brain, kidneys and eyes.
This makes maintaining a healthy blood pressure crucial for long-term well-being. Often referred to as the 'silent killer' because of its lack of noticeable symptoms, high blood pressure can go undetected if not regularly monitored.
Long term high blood pressure is a significant risk factor for kidney decline. We know that blood pressure reduction can have a positive impact on dementia, so a healthy pressure is vital for long term brain health and for reducing the potential incidence of stroke. It is a big subject, but in essence:
Measuring Blood Pressure
Proper measurement is key, and there are specific guidelines for obtaining accurate readings. For example, you have to sit still for 5 minutes with no moving or talking in order to get an accurate reading, Here is a link on how to measure it properly with an automatic device https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSNZVaW1Wg4. Anyone over 40 should routinely have their blood pressure taken.
Influencing blood pressure with lifestyle
While medical intervention can be essential, there are also lifestyle factors that can make a meaningful difference in naturally lowering blood pressure. Here are four main strategies to consider:
1. Blood Sugars Regulation: Elevated blood sugar levels can contribute to high blood pressure. When the body responds to sugar by producing insulin, it affects the production of Nitrous Oxide, a chemical that helps blood vessels relax. Insufficient Nitrous Oxide leads to constricted blood vessels and increased blood pressure.
2. Sleep: Regularly getting an adequate amount of sleep is crucial for maintaining healthy blood pressure. Lack of sleep can lead to higher overall blood pressure levels, and people sleeping six hours or less may be more prone to episodes of increased blood pressure. Sleep plays a role in hormone regulation, and disturbances in hormone levels can impact blood pressure and heart disease risk.
3. Exercise: It is well known that exercise has blood pressure regulating effects, particular walking, tai qi and swimming, in fact all exercise seems to have an overall lowering effect for those with high blood pressure. However, a recently published study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine involving exercise in 16,000 people have found that isometric exercises yielded by far the best results such as wall squats and particularly:
Holding the Plank position
This was shown to be more effective than even cardiovascular exercise for lowering high blood pressure.
How to do ‘the plank’:
In the study holding the plank for 2 minutes 3 x weekly yielded results.
Here is a link to my colleague Sheila Adedeji, a Pilates teacher and how she does the plank and wall squats.
Watch how to do the plank here
4. Nutrients: Many nutrients play a role in blood pressure regulation, some of the main ones include:
If you have a medical condition or taking medication always consult a practitioner before taking any supplementation. Blood pressure should be assessed and monitored by a medical professional. The information provided in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice.
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