3 Things you need to "LOSE" to GAIN a Healthier HEART!

145/90....

You look again at the blood pressure reading.

Could this be right? Just a few months ago you were sitting comfy at 140/80 thinking everything was A Ok. Now the numbers have changed, and the doc wants you on meds. Yikes! It just seems to have happened overnight. Or did it?

Blood pressure is often an insidious condition that seems to appear out of no where. Often times people can't even tell the slight rise to a normal and once healthy blood pressure rate. There may be no symptoms till later stages of the condition.

Medical doctors diagnose high blood pressure when numbers are at 140/90 or greater. The "normal" rate is 120/80, but that is contingent on age, lifestyle and habits . If you are between 120/80 - 140/90 you are considered pre-hypertensive, or the early stage of developing high blood pressure.

Have your blood pressured checked if you:

1) Already know of a family history of Hypertension or Cardiac disease.

2) Are experiencing more headaches than usual.

3) Are overweight, and/or diabetic.

4) If you smoke, drink excessive amounts of caffeine and/or alcohol and are having trouble sleeping.

5) If you feel any heart symptoms of excessive palpitations upon exerting yourself physically, even slightly more than normal.

If you are hypertensive, know that it is one of the most easily addressed health conditions in its early stages, and can be healed.

3 natural ways to treat High blood pressure and stay off the meds!

1) Lose weight!

Even as little as losing 5- 10 pounds for someone obese or overweight is enough to help lower the blood pressure. Often times the extra water weight that is shed alone can be a relief to the heart and blood vessels. Aim to lose weight sensibly! I devote most of my work on this subject of weight loss/management.

Simple equation for weight loss:

Sensible and healthy balanced diet+ Sensible healthy balanced exercise regime+ Connection to your Core for Emotional Balance and Wellness = Sustained weight loss

You need to address all 3, or you will struggle endlessly to achieve your ideal body weight.

2) Lose the Salt!

If you think that only the salt shaker needs to be chucked, think again. Packaged, boxed, wrapped, canned, bagged, and other fast foods are huge culprits that contain MASSIVE amounts of sodium. We all need some sodium to keep our physiology balanced, however eating food on the run, and in processed forms often is a killer in their sodium numbers. Anything you buy on the go, is almost guaranteed to exceed your day's allowance. So make your own lunch when possible, cut down on processed foods, and use herbs and spices to make food come alive. Celtic Sea Salt used in moderation is also not harmful and will add minerals and trace nutrients your body needs to feel its best.

Recommended Daily Sodium Allowance:

2, 400 mg of sodium/day or 1 teaspoon of salt!

Where's the Salt?!

Mc D's Quarter pounder with Cheese 1040mg

30 gram serving of Cornflakes : 1170

A one cup serving of most commercial brand canned soup: 680 mg (almost half a day's worth)

Salt is in everything... even the seemingly "healthy" packaged foods, so be careful.

3) Lose the stress!

High stress levels can increase blood pressure in a number of ways. When we are stressed out we go into survival mode. We begin to engage the flight or fight response, which elevates our insulin/cortisol system, adrenaline and blood pressure.

Also, when we feel stressed we often don't take care of ourselves or health. We slack off on our diet, exercise habits and may engage in unhealthy habits like smoking, excessive caffeine or alcohol consumption and our sleep patterns get disrupted.

Stress management cannot be overlooked.

The breath is really the first place to start. It is reported that deep, diagrammatic breathing helps lower the blood pressure almost instantaneously. Learn more here: http://www.realage.com/tips/get-lower-blood-pressure-with-deep-breathing-exercises

Yoga, Meditation, Pranayama (breath work), engaging in activities that give you joy and make you smile and laugh all reduce stress and help the body and mind deal with emotional upsets.

Breath into that place of uneasiness, and eventually the feeling settles on its own.

Namaste

Piera