High blood pressure aka hypertension is one of the most researched topics online as it is one of the prevalent health disorders across the world. For the unversed, high blood pressure is when the pressure of blood against the arteries are higher than normal. The same can lead to damaged blood vessels over a period of time and if left unchecked and untreated then it can also lead to life-threatening diseases such ash stroke, heart, kidney, eyes and brain issues. It is insidious health disorder as the symptoms can be missed easily. One of the common triggers which can spike your BP levels is stress.

There are no studies which prove that stress leads to long term high BP, however, it can lead to jump in BP levels temporarily and also reacting to stress in unhealthy ways can increase the risk of high blood pressure. Many of us cope with stress and tension with smoking, heavily drinking and by having unhealthy food items and these reactions to stress are directly linked to high BP. For the uninitiated, the body produces hormones during stressful situations and the same causes our heart to beat faster and narrows down our blood vessels. And the hormones which are released can damage arteries as well.

So it is ideal to reduce stress levels to prevent and lower BP levels. One should master stress management techniques as it is difficult to eliminate stress from life but at least one can cope with it for healthier you. Some of the ways are as follows.

1. Simplify schedule and bring change in expectations

One can make daily to-do lists and plan it out to avoid stressful situations. It is very vital to work on priorities and focus on them as one cannot achieve everything. So, avoid trying too much and learn to say no.

Also, one should understand that you cannot change or control many things but you can focus on how you react to it. So, work on issues which you control and try and solve the issues. Instead of a complaining focus on finding solutions.

2. Avoid stress triggers

It is important to know what is stressing you and work on the same. For example, If the rush-hour traffic on the way to work is the cause stress then try leaving earlier in the morning. 

3. Relax

Make sure that you get your personal me time to relax and unwind. Everyday try and sit quietly and breathe deeply. Also, try and remove some time for your hobbies.

4. Practice gratitude

Make sure you to do positive self-talk and write about the things you are thankful for.

5. Meditation and Yoga

These two techniques help to relax our body and mind and as per reports, the same help High BP patients to reduce systolic blood pressure by 5 mm hg.

6. Exercise

If you are BP patient then exercising will be recommended to you. Not only it is a vasodilator but also helps to improve mood and reduce stress.

7. Sleep

A night of good sleep is very vital for high BP as well as for overall health. Less sleep makes things worst as it makes issues appear bigger than they are.

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High blood pressure aka hypertension is one of the common ailments in the world and unfortunately, the number is only rising. If left untreated, one can suffer other health issues such as stroke, heart, eyes, brain and kidney-related disorders. So if you see any symptoms of high blood pressure, then get your BP levels checked by your GP or pharmacist. Aside from medications, one should also bring in simple lifestyle changes for better and safe BP levels. Reducing the amount of salt, eating veggies, fruits, exercising are some of the common recommendations. Some food items help to bring down BP levels safely as they have a key ingredient called potassium. This particular nutrient negates the effects of sodium.

For the unversed, our kidneys control BP by controlling the amount of fluid we have in our body. The more fluid, higher will be the BP. Kidneys filter our blood and suck out the extra fluid and in the same gets out from our body in the form of urine.  And if the sodium is more than the water retention will be more too and potassium helps to bring in the right balance.

Bananas, oranges, prunes, raisins, and dates, spinach, broccoli, sweet potatoes, mushrooms, tomatoes and low-fat dairy are some of the best sources of potassium. Today we are talking about coconut water, this particular fruit water has more potassium than bananas and the same has a positive effect on BP. For the unversed, 240 ml of coconut water has 600 mg of potassium. As per a study,71 percent of participants who drank coconut water showed improved in their systolic blood pressure.

As per another study, coconut water leads to an anti-thrombotic activity and the same prevents the formation of blood clots. Apart from coconut juice, tomato juice is also a great inexpensive way to treat high BP naturally.

Exercising is also important for hypertension patients

Aside from a healthy diet, being active and management of weight is of utmost importance as obesity is one of the causes of high blood pressure. Regular exercising keeps both heart and blood vessels in good condition and ultimately reduce weight as well.

Ideally, adults should at least indulge in any form of physical activity for 150 minutes per week. Brisk walking, jogging, running, swimming and cycling among others are some of the best moderate-intensity workouts one can do.

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