Are you stressed a lot? And has that stress been driving up your blood pressure? Hypertension can be deadly.
So while you may not feel that drastic change is justified to relief your stress, once it affects your blood pressure, you must take action.
Read on to find out how.
First, let's look at the relationship between stress and hypertension.
As it turns out, that can be a good thing or a bad thing...
By reducing your stress, you may be able to lower your blood pressure even without drugs.
This means, that you gain a bit of control over something that's generally very difficult to control.
On the other hand, if you cannot manage your stress, even the drugs may not help much to reduce your blood pressure.
Speaking of drugs.
Not only are they expensive, but they come with so many side effects that you may wish that your high blood pressure had never been diagnosed.
And some of those side effects could increase your stress even more, which creates a vicious cycle.
Then again, you can't just let it slide either.
Be sure to consult with your health care provider as you experiment with alternative treatments, especially supplements.
So let's focus on the stress angle.
What can you do? 1) Make stress relief a priority Of course, that's easier said than done.
If you have too much stress, trying to reduce it may add even more stress to your life, especially if your life depends on it.
But reduce your stress you must.
Because if you don't, you may not be around too much longer.
And then where would everyone be who is now relying on you? 2) Add moments of stillness There are a few things you can do that will reduce your stress.
One of the most effective ones is meditation (some people prefer yoga).
Those few moments of stillness can make a big difference in your life.
They will help you cope better with your deadlines too, and may lower your blood pressure.
Ten minutes of slow, rhythmic breathing while focusing on your breath may be all it takes.
3) Add aromatherapy Aromatherapy is a very powerful tool for stress reduction.
It acts directly on the limbic system, thus bypassing conscious thought.
It will also help with your blood pressure.
4) Add herbs and/or supplements There are some herbs you can experiment with that will help calm you.
Some calming teas are a good way to start.
Look for valerian and passion flower for maximum calming power.
Please check with your doctor before you take any supplements.
5) Deal with what's stressing you Find out what it is that is causing you all that stress.
Then try to eliminate it or make adjustments.
Sometimes you can't eliminate it completely, but often you can handle it in ways that are less stressful for you.
Do what you can, and as far as the rest goes...
deal with it the best you can.