Today, high blood pressure treatment emphasizes lifestyle as much as
medicine. Approaches to lowering blood pressure may also involve using
alternative medicines to supplement traditional medication.
In other words, sole reliance on drugs is now being replaced by more comprehensive methods of disease management.
One of the centerpieces of this approach is replacing a sedentary
lifestyle with a more active one. Physical activity is very helpful in
reducing hypertension.
Increasing levels of physical fitness has many benefits including
bringing blood pressure closer to normal levels. Of course, taking up
an exercise regimen should be done under medical supervision,
particularly if the patient has been leading a sedentary lifestyle.
Exercise also cuts down on excess weight, which is another factor that
pushes up blood pressure above normal levels. There is a strong
correlation between obesity and hypertension and the latter can often
be controlled by taking care of the former.
Stress is a big factor in most people's lives these days. And stress
can contribute significantly to hypertension. Therefore contemporary
treatment for hypertension includes making patients aware of the
factors that contribute to stress levels.
They are also taught to manage these stress factors better. That
includes managing the stress-causing situations better as well as
managing the patients' internal reactions to the stress. The latter can
include, among other things, yoga, meditation and relaxation exercises.
Many stressors cannot be eliminated, but may be successfully reduced.
Both work and home related stress needs to be managed to help control
high blood pressure.
A healthy diet is, of course, essential for hypertensive patients. They
are advised to avoid excessive intake of dairy products and salt. Blood
pressure can be controlled much more easily when diet is managed well.
Alcohol consumption needs to be moderated or eliminated. Now, there is
some evidence that alcohol in small quantities can actually be
beneficial to the body. However, continued excess consumption of
alcohol puts considerable strain on many organs of the body including
the heart. Part of the problem arises from the sheer bulk of alcohol,
particularly if beer is consumed.
Foods like garlic and onions as well as some herbs have been found to
contribute to lower blood pressure. Herbs that contain an amino acid
called L-arginine are said to be useful for this purpose. Utilizing
alternate medicine should be done only under adequate supervision.
There are also newer drugs to control high blood pressure, including
calcium channel blockers. Some of these drugs effectively counteract
side effects caused by medication.
High blood pressure treatment has evolved into a well-rounded approach
that relies on more than just medication to handle the condition.