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Five ways to manage your blood pressure naturally

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Have you ever considered what your numbers are? Not your weight or your step count. Your blood pressure! Dr Jason Kaplan, Integrative and Preventive Cardiologist, gives you a guide to knowing your blood pressure and how to manage it naturally.

The latest National Heart Foundation guidelines say the target blood pressure reading for an otherwise healthy adult is 120/80 millimetres of mercury (mmHg), with a reading of more than 140/90 mmHg considered too high. If you fall in the high category, your doctor may prescribe you with blood pressure lowering medicine, however there are many natural ways to successfully reduce high blood pressure, which can help you avoid, delay or reduce the need for medication.

 

  • Watch your waistline

Blood pressure often increases as weight increases. Being overweight also can cause disrupted breathing while you sleep (sleep apnoea), which further raises your blood pressure.

If you are overweight, weight loss is one of the most effective lifestyle changes for controlling blood pressure. Losing just 4.5 kilograms can help reduce your blood pressure.

 

  • Less sodium, more potassium

You’ve probably heard that salt and high blood pressure don’t mix. If you have high blood pressure, the National Heart Foundation recommends reducing salt to 4 g (1600 mg sodium) per day. This is about half the average Australian adult’s current salt intake! Most of our sodium comes from processed foods, so stick with whole foods where possible.

On the flipside, eating potassium-rich foods can counter sodium’s ill effects. Reach for foods such as bananas, sweet potatoes, baked potatoes with the skin on, tomatoes, and orange juice.

 

  • Consider a Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract

A recent Australian study found that Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract significantly reduces blood pressure in adults with uncontrolled hypertension, offering hope to those who don’t respond well to prescription medications or would prefer a natural therapy. The study showed that a daily dose of Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract was enough to significantly lower the risk of heart disease.  It reduces an average of 11.5 millimeters of mercury systolic and 6.3 millimeters of mercury diastolic in a large proportion of individuals with uncontrolled hypertension – comparable to the effect of many commonly prescribed anti-hypertensive medicines.

Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract is naturally aged in an up to 20-month process to help prevent its antioxidant compounds degrading, maximise its beneficial properties and completely eliminate its odour. Kyolic Aged Garlic Extract has more potent active ingredients and fewer side effects than fresh garlic or other types of garlic supplements, such as garlic oil and garlic powder.

 

  • Limit alcohol

For healthy men and women, Australian guidelines recommend drinking no more than two standard alcoholic drinks on any day to reduce the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease over a lifetime. Drinking more than this can raise blood pressure in some people and also reduce the effectiveness of blood pressure medications.

 

  • Move more & stress less!

Amongst other things, chronic stress is a significant contributor to high blood pressure, so it’s worth take some time to think about what causes you to feel stressed and considering how you can eliminate or reduce that stress.

Aim for 30 minutes of exercise most days. You don’t have to go to the gym – moderate intensity exercise such as swimming, cycling etc or walking the kids to school can all add up.

Make time for relaxation too relaxation too. Just 15 to 20 minutes a day to sit quietly and breathe deeply can really make a difference as it can help reduce stress hormones.

Aside from implementing these health tips consistently, it is a good idea to have your blood pressure checked by your General Practitioner or at your local pharmacy at least once a year, for healthy adults. For individuals over 40 years of age and for those with high blood pressure and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, more frequent measurements will be required.

 

About Dr Jason Kaplan
BSc(Med) MBBS(Hons) FRACP FCSANZBlood Pressure

Dr Jason Kaplan is a specialist adult cardiologist and physician. He studied Medicine at the University of New South Wales and graduated with Honours in 1999 then completed his Internal Medicine Training at St George and Prince of Wales hospitals, and Adult his Cardiology training at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.

Prior to training in cardiology, Dr Kaplan completed additional advanced training in medical oncology and pharmacology. His training in these areas allows Dr Kaplan to adopt a more holistic approach to patient care, particularly those with multiple medical issues.

Dr Kaplan is currently Clinical Lead of Cardiovascular and Respiratory Medicine at Macquarie University and is a clinical lecturer in Medicine and Cardiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences teaching undergraduate and postgraduate students.

 

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Alana Lowes

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