Most people assume that high blood pressure is a normal part of aging. That’s a lie! (Hey, you know the old saying about assuming, don’t you?)
While hypertension (doctor speak for high blood pressure) is common, it isn’t normal. Not only is it NOT normal, it doesn’t have to be a part of your aging process.
Some people are so used to thinking that high blood pressure is normal they disregard it. Please, please, PLEASE don’t buy into the misconception that “it’s just high blood pressure.” High blood pressure increases your risk for stroke and heart attacks.
OK, so there are a bunch of pills available to combat high blood pressure, right? There sure are. And they are big business for Big Pharma. Don’t be fooled by the pharmaceutical messaging that you need a pill to be healthy. They have a vested interest in getting you on their medication and having you stay on it for the rest of your life.
Let’s take a minute and have a serious conversation about hypertension.
If your diet and lifestyle have led to high blood pressure and you don’t make changes to lower your blood pressure, I guarantee you’ll end up with more chronic health conditions.
So, let’s talk about some easy changes you can make to normalize your blood pressure.
First, the easiest and gentlest thing you can do is put down the phone, turn off the TV and start taking daily, or even twice daily, walks. This step alone will reduce your stress and likely your blood pressure.
Second, eat more plants. Before you panic and say ‘There’s no way I can be Vegan’ hear me out: I’m not saying eat only plants.
A study from the University of Warwick just reported that you can still eat meat and dairy and reap the benefits of a plant heavy diet. Any increase in fruits and vegetables is going to provide health benefits and reduce your risk of chronic disease.
Americans eat on average just 1.5 servings of vegetables each day. Sadly, this includes French fries. In case you had any doubt, let this Functional Nutritionist tell you: French fries don’t provide health benefits. To reap the benefits of eating a plant-based diet, plan to eat a minimum of 5 servings of vegetables and 2 servings of fruits daily.
Third, reduce alcohol intake. In the days of COVID-19, we’re seeing record beer consumption. News flash–drinking large amounts of beer can lead to high blood pressure. Again, you don’t have to give up beer, just limit it to one or two each day. See if that helps normalize your blood pressure.
These are not drastic changes but rather simple, gentle changes. To see if these simple changes work for you, buy a blood pressure cuff and take you blood pressure daily. Be sure to keep a record of your diet and your blood pressure.
If these changes aren’t enough to get you to optimal blood pressure, there are lots of other things you can do to reach your goal. Come in for an appointment and I’ll guide you through more significant inputs to correct your blood pressure. You can reach the office at 970-966-8419. All of these are natural approaches that boost health. You can’t say that about pharmaceuticals.
Please, whatever you do, don’t ignore your elevated blood pressure. Take steps to improve your blood pressure and enjoy your improved health, the natural way.
Home blood pressure monitor photo copyright milos-kreckovic
