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Unfortunately high blood pressure is becoming more and more common. Blood pressure is determined by two factors; 1) the amount of blood that is being pumped by your heart 2.) the amount of resistance of blood flow in the arteries. For most people elevated blood pressure develops slowly over a long period of time. The tricky part is unless you are periodically checking your blood pressure you may not be aware that it is elevated. The increase of blood pressure for long periods of time puts undue stress on the blood vessels and the heart. Even though you may not be experiencing any symptoms you can still be causing damage to the blood vessels. High blood pressure can increase the risk for several other diseases including diabetes, heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
Know your numbers.
Normal blood pressure is less than 120/80 Prehypertension is 120-139/80-89 Stage 1: 140-159/90-99 Stage 2: 160 and above/ 100 and above
Causes of high blood pressure.
Several factors can contribute to increasing blood pressure especially diets filled with high amounts of salt, caffeine, and alcohol. Lifestyle factors including lack of exercise, being overweight, smoking cigarettes or using birth control can also playa role in elevation blood pressure.
5 tips to help reduce high blood pressure.
- Consuming plenty of foods rich in fiber such as fruits and vegetables.
- Reduce excess salt intake. Flavor your food with robust herbs such as rosemary, thyme, basil, parsley and garlic.
- Eat more potassium. Foods such as bananas, melons, avocados help reduce the impact of consuming salty foods.
- Reduce inflammation by consuming more omega-3 filled foods like salmon, walnuts, chia seeds and avocados.
- Reduce stress by mediating, reading a book, or going for a long walk.
To find out more about how Dr. Sheppard a Bend chiropractor can help you reduce or manage your high blood pressure please contact our office today 541-213-2190.
