High blood pressure….a silent killer!

Yes, you heard me right! Hey there, once again. First of all, let me thank all of you for your wonderful support and wishes. Your response makes me keep going!

And now, back to the post. Yes, you heard me right! High blood pressure often shows no symptoms. And hence is called a silent killer!

High blood pressure is a long term medical condition, in which the force of the blood against the walls of the blood vessels is persistently too high. Most of us these days are acquainted with this condition. Coz, someone or the other in the family suffers from it. And, the stats are increasing so badly that it is on the verge of becoming an epidemic!

Well, it is quite alarming. The lifestyle, the boom in consumption of packaged and processed foods, the stress- all are responsible for this. Also, there are certain other medical conditions which may contribute to high blood pressure – like diabetes, kidney problems, etc.  And while your physician is the best person to guide you with medicines if you are suffering from this condition, there are certain lifestyle and diet changes which you can consider to keep your blood pressure from shooting up, and also to keep yourselves from falling a pray to this disturbing condition, if you haven’t already!

A beautiful blend of modern medical science and ancient wisdom of Ayurveda can help you keep your blood pressure within normal, and can effectively keep you away from it. Let’s see how it works…

AYURVEDA–  In Ayurveda literature, there is no separate mention of the disease as such, which is remarkable since it could be largely possible because of the absence of this disease in that era. Credit goes to the lifestyle and diet followed by people in those days. But, its mention surely appears as a symptom of some other underlying medical conditions. And the treatment mentioned is largely similar to the one followed by modern medicine these days.

According to the ancient texts, the disease is treated using shodhan  chikitsa       (detoxification protocols), pathya-apathya( dietary, behavioral and lifestyle changes), aushadhi chikitsa ( appropriate medicines), pranayama, asanas and dhyan ( breathing exercises, yoga and meditation) and especially alavana aahar ( low salt diet) ; a protocol which is quite similar to the modern one.

Ayurveda has always emphasized on a quality and balanced diet. The DASH diet recommended for the treatment of high BP is largely similar to the one mentioned in Ayurveda , thousands of years back! Let’s see how.

DIET–  Experts now believe that diet plays an important role in both prevention and treatment of high BP. Some simple things may keep ur numbers in check.

• Make your diet rich in grains and grain products, fruits and vegetables.
• Watch the minerals. Potassium and calcium are believed to protect against high BP. They can be found in most fruits, vegetables, legumes and dairy products.
• Limit your salt intake. Packaged and processed foods are the main culprits. Check labels for hidden sodium content. Avoid salty pickles.
• Eat a less fat diet. More fat will increase your weight too n may increase the BP significantly. Cut down on fried foods n go for broiling. Switch to low fat milk n cut down on butter and margarine. Go low on red meat. It is a must.
• Check your weight. Bringing it down modestly will bring down your BP significantly.
• Avoid alcohol and caffeine consumption in excess.

LIFESTYLE– A proper diet is key in keeping the blood pressure in check, but it has to be paired with other lifestyle changes.

• Exercise regularly, at least five days a week. It conditions your heart to work more efficiently.
• Quit smoking. It can bring your reading down by min 10 points.
• Use over the counter drugs with caution. Popping a pain killer every now n then may not be wise when it comes to your heart.
• Try to reduce stress. There are many ways of doing so like yoga, meditation, listening to soothing music and playing with kids and keeping pets. Take your pick!

YOGA AND MEDITATION- It has been proved time and again that proper yoga poses,  breathing exercises and meditation techniques can reduce the blood pressure significantly. Virasana, baddhakonasana, janushirasana and upvishtakonasana, a number of supine poses and deep breathing are particularly beneficial for high BP. Take care to avoid any inverted poses, or the poses in which your legs are higher than the heart level and heart is higher than the head level. But of course, take care to do all of these under proper supervision only.

You must be aware of the healing power of music. There are many mantras and chants which can help you relax and they even help in treating many diseases. Well, a little bit of good and relaxing music can never do you any harm, can it?

A good balance of diet, exercise and lifestyle change can help you effectively manage high BP. So guys, get a grip and start taking your readings seriously. It’s high time!

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