| High blood pressure kills over 43,000 Americans | | | | meditation. |
| annually, and contributes to more than 227,000 | | | | 6. Cut back on alcohol to less than 1-2 drinks a |
| other fatalities every year, making it the third | | | | day. This is not only good for relieving stress, but |
| most deadly disease. A quarter of all Americans | | | | also as a high blood pressure treatment. |
| suffer from high blood pressure symptoms today, | | | | 7. Quit Smoking. |
| and roughly one in four of these receive high | | | | 8. Make sure you get enough rest, and if you |
| blood pressure treatment in some form. That still | | | | suffer from insomnia, actively address this |
| means that tens of millions of Americans need | | | | problem with the help of your doctor. |
| high blood pressure treatment but don't get it. | | | | 9. Take time you need to prioritize, anticipate life |
| With patients responding to high blood pressure | | | | changes and make decisions. Pace yourself in |
| treatment in 90 to 95% of all cases, these tens | | | | general. |
| of millions are really missing out! | | | | 10. Be kind and patient with yourself. |
| 10 Step Stress-Relief and High Blood Pressure | | | | One controversial inclusion in the 10-step plan |
| Treatment( Plan | | | | above is no. 7: "quit smoking." Many smokers |
| Daily habits, as well as constantly reacting to | | | | condition themselves to use cigarettes when they |
| situations that are stressful, is a direct cause of | | | | are stressed, since nicotine relieves the stress |
| hypertension. In the U.S., there is increasing | | | | response for a few minutes. To suggest quitting |
| attention on proactive anti-stress techniques as a | | | | smoking as a means of stress relief would seem |
| treatment for high blood pressure symptoms( So, | | | | crazy! However, since the stress response |
| how can we de-stress and lower blood pressure? | | | | returns when the nicotine wears off, smokers |
| One way is to follow a 10 Step Stress-Relief and | | | | must reach for another cigarette under the |
| High Blood Pressure Treatment Plan: | | | | mistaken notion that they are actually dealing with |
| 1. Accept the fact that life includes a certain | | | | the problem, rather than compounding it. Smoking |
| amount of stress and always will, and that it is | | | | also leads to high cholesterol, a major cause of |
| your response to stress that you can learn to | | | | hypertension, and certainly not something |
| control, not always your circumstances. | | | | desirable in a high blood pressure treatment plan! |
| 2. Accept the fact that if your blood pressure | | | | This vicious circle can only be broken through |
| goes up under stress, you may need to simplify | | | | taking active measures to quit smoking. Once |
| your life by identifying sources of stress that you | | | | free of the addiction, people who suffer from high |
| can avoid. | | | | blood pressure symptoms will then be able to find |
| 3. Daily aerobic walking is proven to reduce the | | | | alternative, long-lasting, and much healthier ways |
| negative effects of stress. It also controls weight, | | | | to de-stress. |
| another factor in high blood pressure treatment( | | | | You might not know when your blood pressure |
| 4. Address anxiety by prescription or natural | | | | shoots up, unless you monitor it regularly. But you |
| medicine, such as vitamin nutritional supplements. | | | | can learn to recognize when things are getting too |
| 5. Address stress response by learning and | | | | stressful, and use simple techniques to address |
| practicing breathing techniques, yoga, tai qi, | | | | the stress response. In this way, you will be |
| massage, relaxation music, and prayerful | | | | addressing your high blood pressure too. |