Control Your Diet While Reducing High Blood Pressure

Hypertension, otherwise known as high blood pressure, can be controlled with diet and exercise. A lot of people immediately let their imagination jump to a rigorous exercise routine and strict diet when they hear those words. Fortunately for most of us, diet and exercise for reducing high blood pressure does not have to be strenuous or terribly restrictive.

7 Exercises for Reducing High Blood Pressure

Many people do not consider things they do on a daily basis "exercise", when in fact they are. Physical therapists recommend 30 minutes of exercise 4-5 days per week. This may be broken up into shorter segments if you don't have 30 minutes in one stretch to devote to burning calories.

Household Chores: Mowing the lawn, weed eating, raking leaves, vacuuming the house; all of those activities take a minimum of 10 to 15 minutes.

Mowing and raking leaves could even constitute an entire 30 minute workout depending on the size of the lawn.

Active Sports: Tennis, baseball, or a game of hoops with your friends or family; any active sports which cause you to run, throw, and sweat are considered exercise.

Climbing Stairs: Elevators and escalators are a tool to help us remain unhealthy. Take the stairs at school or work instead of using the elevator every day. A daily walk up a few flights of stairs adds up over time.

Walking: Walk at a brisk pace when going from your vehicle to the store or work. Take a walk around the block after work, or after dinner.

Don't just dally; you aren't doing anyone any good unless you get your blood circulating.

Jogging: A nice jog does wonders for the mood and the body as well. Just a quick 10 minute jog around the block allows the opportunity to interact with neighbors as well as getting in some exercise.

Biking: Children often ride a bike as a means of enjoyment, but give it up somewhere in their teens for other modes of transportation. Unfortunately we never seem to pick up our old bicycling habits as we get older. Get the bike out of the garage, or invest in a new one.

Swimming: Gyms and other recreational venues are a great place to go swimming. People who live near clean rivers or lakes choose to go swimming there during summer months instead of paying a gym membership or admission to a swimming pool.

Reduce Stress

Don't spread yourself too thin. The purpose of exercise is to help reduce weight and reduce stress. Don't stress out about not being able to get your exercise in for a day. Create a way for exercise to fit into your lifestyle without causing undue stress.

Eat Healthy

The word diet often makes people cringe. They immediately start thinking that they're going to be hungry most of the time because diet usually means restricting what we eat. A high blood pressure diet simply means reduction of fats and sodium.

Fortunately, diet is actually a lifestyle. Dietary habits define how our bodies look and feel. Choose to eat a healthier diet and exercise at least 30 minutes 4-5 days a week and you'll be successful at reducing high blood pressure. Diet and exercise must become a new lifestyle instead of something you dread.

act dodgers yankees cubs news channel 4 lyme disease symptoms cardinals