Meditation is good for your heart. This is the message recently (in the year of 2006) conveyed by the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study reported that transcendental meditation (TM), a relaxation technique, reduced the risk factors of coronary heart disease in a 4-month clinical trial. Significantly reduced insulin resistance and lower blood pressure were found for patients who meditated. These patients also had more stable functioning of the autonomic nervous system that controls heart and other involuntary muscles.

There is closed relationship between stress, meditation, and heart health. It is evident that severe emotional and physical stress raises adrenalin levels or sympathetic drive, which in turn can lead to higher blood pressure or in worst case, may even transiently impair the ability of the heart to contract well. Stress can also cause the body to become less responsive to insulin, which is a hormone that controls the amount of sugar in the body. If you are already pre-diabetic or have metabolic syndrome, risk factors for heart disease, this condition will worsen. Meditation or any activity that can reduce stress levels is useful to improve blood pressure or metabolic syndrome.

What affect your brain is connected to what your heart functions. Emotional distress affects part of the brain function, which affects the sympathetic drive and so, the heart. The happier your brain is, the better your heart functions.

What is meditation? This is simply the practice of closing your eyes and focusing on your breathing as you go into a state of deep rest. It is a technique that can benefit not only your mind but also your body. It can actually reduce your risk of collapsing from heart problems by modulating your body’s response to stress. In short, meditation is a practice that involves calming your mind and body.

TM is an effortless technique practiced for about 15 to 20 minutes twice daily. It allows a person to attain deep rest for the body and mind. A suitable time to meditate is when the person is not feeling tired, hungry, or irritated. He or she should feel comfortable and be in a positive frame of mind.

Drugs cannot effectively reduce stress levels and should not be considered as the primary approach. A happy, spiritual or emotional heart is basically good medicine. This is an advice from a friend of mine who is also a consultant cardiologist. So, perhaps you may wish to consider meditation as one of the alternatives to help you reduce your stress level.

Lower High Blood Pressure without Medicine

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally without Medicineby Barry ShoreRecently, in “Health Watch” an article written by Harvard Medical School states, “A hand grip designed to keep fighter pilots from blacking out during sharp turns and steep dives has an interesting therapeutic benefit on the ground — lowering blood pressure without medication.Squeezing the grip for a few minutes a day has been shown to lower blood pressure as much as a first-line antihypertension drug. How it does this is still something of a medical mystery.”Also, as reported in the Associated Press, “…breathing … slowly for a few minutes a day is enough to help some people nudge down bad blood pressure”. Dr. David Anderson, who heads research into behavior and hypertension at the NIH’s National Institute on Aging, is doing a study to try to prove it.As reported by AP, “65 million Americans have high blood pressure, putting them at increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, kidney damage, blindness and dementia. Many don’t know it. Hypertension is often called the silent killer, because patients may notice no symptoms until it already has done serious damage. Anyone can get high blood pressure, measured as a level of 140 over 90 or more.”There are 3 commercial methods on the market today which encompass the techniques outlined above to lower blood pressure. Zona Plus offers a squeezing device, and Resperate offers a breathing device. BPDown combines both squeezing and breathing into one program. The Zona Plus and Resperate systems sell for hundreds of dollars each while the BPDown program sells for $49 including free shipping.All of these systems are for sale on Ebay and elsewhere on the internet. Many users of the BPDown system exclaim that their blood pressure goes down after the very first usage. However, it usually takes a few weeks for the lower blood pressure to be maintained on a steady basis.The BPDown system is designed to be lightweight and compact, and requires no electronics or batteries. Therefore it is expected to last longer with less maintenance and be carried anywhere so the squeezing and breathing program can be done anytime. People say they do it watching TV, while riding in a car, while waiting for an appointment, etc.More information can be obtained at www.bpdown.us.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common disorder. To cope with the problem, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Precaution is definitely better than cure.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common disorder of blood circulation that may lead to fatal heart attacks, stroke, or even kidney diseases. Statistic shows almost 1/5 of adults in the West are affected by this dreaded disease.

Experts say hypertension could be hereditary. It is a common disease for people in their mid and old age than the young. Hypertension is affecting more men than women. However, women on contraceptive pills are prone to it. Not to mention also, short people and those under stress are very susceptible to it. Smokers should also be aware of this disease because they are likely to have high blood pressure.

Medications can help solve hypertension problem but the cure cannot be found on drugs. Drugs can only sustain what is deemed safe limits but cannot guarantee that there will be no attacks. Dietary practices and physical activity can help prevent or control hypertension. Obese people are more likely to have hypertension than slim bodied people. There are prescribed ideal weight for a particular height and age of a person. Trimming down to an ideal weight will be a big help.

Alcohol is not advised when you are hypertensive because it induces high blood pressure. But doctors advise one shot of red wine after every meal to help gain anti

oxidants. Taking more is not advisable.

Studies proved that foods low in salt are very helpful. Limit salt intake to 4 g a day or ask physician for better advice. Keeping the taste of your foods as natural as possible is the best diet.

While cutting down salt intake, consume more fruits and vegetables, especially foods rich in potassium such as dried apricots, nuts, and others. Potassium can help lower blood pressure. For those with kidney disorder, avoid taking potassium-rich foods as it can complicate the matter.

Calcium and magnesium are two dietary minerals that show positive effect against high blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables high in soluble fibre also show good sign of lowering blood pressure. Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish like tuna have also been shown to lower blood pressure. Garlic and moderate alcohol intake (1-2 shots per day) can have the similar effects.

Vegetarians have less incidence of high blood pressure probably due to high fibre content, flushing out toxic cholesterol and fats from the body. Many vegetables contain potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin C which can lower blood pressure. Above all, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Precaution is definitely better than cure.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally – Why You Need to Check Your Blood Pressure at Home

This may be one of the easiest methods for lowering blood pressure naturally. Did you know that your blood pressure could change by the hour and even by the minute? If you check your blood pressure occasionally at the doctor’s office or at some location where there is a self-checking blood pressure monitor you may not be getting an accurate picture of your true blood pressure.Your reading that your doctor or nurse takes is a quick flash of your blood pressure at that time. For some folks this can be a true reading but in others it is not. Up to 20% of those who indicate an abnormal reading have what is called white-coat hypertension, which is the result of stress incurred by a visit to the doctor. Others have the opposite result where they have normal blood pressure in the doctor’s office but everywhere else it is elevated.Various conditions can cause fluctuations in blood pressure such as watching an exciting sporting event or movie. If you are in a relaxed mood your blood pressure will tend to belower.So how can you really be sure what your blood pressure is? If you are interested in a way of lowering your blood pressure naturally then consider a new recommendation by the American Heart Association, the American Society of Hypertension, and Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association. They recommend that individuals with high blood pressure and those who are at high risk for developing it should monitor their blood pressure at home.Better Control.If individuals check their blood pressure at home on a weekly basis they are more likely to lower their blood pressure naturally. If you are able to take your blood pressure at any time you can better relate your activity at the moment to your reading. Furthermore, since you are taking your readings more often you’ll discover a norm. If you notice a spike in your reading as compared to the norm it may be a warning sign that you need to discuss with your doctor.If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, having the ability to monitor it frequently will provide better feedback on the effectiveness of the medication.Save time and medications.Checking your blood pressure at home will mean fewer trips to the doctor’s office and help you to lower your blood pressure naturally. If you have white-coat hypertension it may mean reducing or even eliminating medication.

New Technique to Reduce High Blood Pressure Fast
by Barry Shore

New Technique to Lower Blood Pressure Fast

By Barry Shore

It has now been proven that Paced Breathing and Hand Squeezing exercises lower blood pressure. Anyone can do it. Positive results happen quickly. Immediate lowering of blood pressure can be seen right after doing the exercises, but sustained results take from a few weeks to several weeks to achieve.

Several companies have developed apparatus to aid in these exercises. Resperate uses an electronic device to track breathing. It teaches you to breathe slower and deeper. ZonaPlus also uses an electronic device to track and teach Hand Squeezing exercise. Each of these devices cost several hundred dollars.

BPDown combines both Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing exercises using tension squeeze balls and a counting technique for breathing. This apparatus costs only $49 and offers free shipping. The website is bpdown.us.

All three companies have sold several hundred devices and feedback appears to be very positive.

My wife and I are the owners of BPDown. Our Ebay rating as of today is 271 and 100% positive. My seller name is shore29 and I encourage you to read the comments at Ebay.com from our customers.

Not only is the BPDown system much less expensive, but it actually works faster because it combines both Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing into one exercise program. Also, because it can be done without electronic devices (though a CD is included) there is nothing to wear out or break. Plus the tension balls are so compact you can take them anywhere and do the exercises using the counting techniques when you are riding (not driving) in a car or other vehicle, waiting for an appointment, watching TV, etc.

My personal blood pressure used to be as high as 180/90, even with taking medicine. My doctors cure was more medicine, which I actually tried and it didnt work very well and sometimes had side effects. I researched extensively and learned about the Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing research. However, I balked at spending hundreds of dollars.

After 6 months of experimentation testing various tension devices and numerous breathing techniques I discovered the exact combination for fast positive results. In fact, for most people, blood pressure reduces significantly after the very first usage. It takes just a few weeks of daily use, about 12 minutes a day, to sustain lower blood pressure for a whole day or 2. After that, usage may be reduced to every other day, but only if blood pressure continues to stay down.

I still take 1 or 2 Metoprolol (100 mg) a day which is a beta blocker and available from Wal-Mart at $4 for 60 pills, and I do the BPDown exercises every other day in order to maintain my blood pressure below 129/65. I have been tested as low as 109/64. My pulse is usually about 55.

I believe the $49 price for BPDown makes it affordable for most people. Keeping blood pressure low may be the most important factor to reduce and prevent heart failure. I urge everyone with a blood pressure problem to try BPDown. Youll be glad you did.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common disorder. To cope with the problem, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Precaution is definitely better than cure.

Hypertension or high blood pressure is a common disorder of blood circulation that may lead to fatal heart attacks, stroke, or even kidney diseases. Statistic shows almost 1/5 of adults in the West are affected by this dreaded disease.

Experts say hypertension could be hereditary. It is a common disease for people in their mid and old age than the young. Hypertension is affecting more men than women. However, women on contraceptive pills are prone to it. Not to mention also, short people and those under stress are very susceptible to it. Smokers should also be aware of this disease because they are likely to have high blood pressure.

Medications can help solve hypertension problem but the cure cannot be found on drugs. Drugs can only sustain what is deemed safe limits but cannot guarantee that there will be no attacks. Dietary practices and physical activity can help prevent or control hypertension. Obese people are more likely to have hypertension than slim bodied people. There are prescribed ideal weight for a particular height and age of a person. Trimming down to an ideal weight will be a big help.

Alcohol is not advised when you are hypertensive because it induces high blood pressure. But doctors advise one shot of red wine after every meal to help gain anti

oxidants. Taking more is not advisable.

Studies proved that foods low in salt are very helpful. Limit salt intake to 4 g a day or ask physician for better advice. Keeping the taste of your foods as natural as possible is the best diet.

While cutting down salt intake, consume more fruits and vegetables, especially foods rich in potassium such as dried apricots, nuts, and others. Potassium can help lower blood pressure. For those with kidney disorder, avoid taking potassium-rich foods as it can complicate the matter.

Calcium and magnesium are two dietary minerals that show positive effect against high blood pressure. Fruits and vegetables high in soluble fibre also show good sign of lowering blood pressure. Essential fatty acids such as omega 3 fatty acids from oily fish like tuna have also been shown to lower blood pressure. Garlic and moderate alcohol intake (1-2 shots per day) can have the similar effects.

Vegetarians have less incidence of high blood pressure probably due to high fibre content, flushing out toxic cholesterol and fats from the body. Many vegetables contain potassium, calcium, magnesium and vitamin C which can lower blood pressure. Above all, it is important to maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle. Precaution is definitely better than cure.

Article Source: http://www.BestToRead.com/

Your Health Is At Risk With Out DHA from Fish In Your Diet

DHA is the most abundant essential fatty acid (polyunsaturated fatty acids) found in the brain and retina. DHA is essential for the proper functioning of our brains as adults, and for the development of our nervous system and visual abilities during the first 6 months of life. DHA is found in cold water fatty fish, including salmon, tuna (blue fin tuna have up to five times more DHA than other types of tuna), mackerel, sardines, shellfish, and herring. Lets take a look at what DHA can do for you.DHA makes infant formulas more like human milk than “conventional” formula containing Alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid, which are precursors to DHA. It has been an ingredient in several brands of premium infant formula sold in North America since 2001. Mead Johnson was the first infant formula manufacturer to add DHA and ARA (arachidonic acid) to its Enfamil Lipil product, several other manufacturers have followed. DHA levels in breast milk are higher if a mother’s diet is high in fish. DHA is also present normally in very high concentrations in the retina. DHA supplementation would be particularly important for mothers who have consumed excessive alcohol, because alcohol inhibits the desaturase enzymes necessary for DHA synthesis. Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) is a type of Omega-3 fatty acid, a nutrient that has been studied for its role in heart, brain and eye health. An experiment that studied the individual effects of EPA and DHA found that EPA reduced natural killer (NK) cell activity and cell-mediated immune response, but that DHA does not so this study concluded that the immune-suppressing effects of fish oil are mainly due to EPA, not DHA. Omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil help lower triglycerides (fats in the blood), lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of blood clots, improve the health of arteries and reduce the amount of arterial plaque (which narrows arteries and causes heart disease). Many people believe that excessively high omega-6 rather than omega-3 in the modern diet is responsible for an increase in allergies and the need to take aspirin to reduce the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction). Sunflower, safflower and corn oil are particularly rich sources of linoleic acid, which is at the root of the omega-6 fatty-acid family. The ability of enzymes to produce the omega-6 and omega-3 family of products of linoleic and alpha-linolenic acid declines with age this is why we need more omega 3 DHA in our diets. In fact, a high omega-3 fatty acid diet increases the alpha-tocopherol content of heart muscle membranes by five times, and this effect is most prominently associated with DHA because the heart muscle prefers DHA as its raw materials to manufacture and strengthen its membranes. Dietary DHA may reduce the risk of heart disease by reducing the level of blood triglycerides in humans. Low levels of DHA result in reduction of brain serotonin levels and have been associated with ADHD, Alzheimer’s disease, and depression, among other diseases, and there is mounting evidence that DHA supplementation may be effective in combating inflammatory bowel disease as well. Dietary changes in the past century have lowered the consumption of omega-3 to a state of subclinical deficiency that is epidemiologically related to cardiovascular disease, inflammatory disorders, mental and psychiatric diseases and suboptimal neurodevelopment. Decreases in DHA in the brain are associated with cognitive decline during aging and with onset of sporadic Alzheimer disease. DHA has a positive effect on diseases such as hypertension, arthritis, atherosclerosis,, adult-onset diabetes, mellitus, thrombosis, and some cancers. In conclusion, if consuming DHA through your diet is impossible, you can purchase DHA as a supplement in two common forms: Fish oil capsules or DHA extracted from algae. Consuming DHA may help support body tissues in which DHA is prevalent — especially the brain, nervous system, heart, retinas, and colon. Staying healthy is important, have you had your DHA today?

New Technique to Reduce High Blood Pressure Fast
by Barry Shore

New Technique to Lower Blood Pressure Fast

By Barry Shore

It has now been proven that Paced Breathing and Hand Squeezing exercises lower blood pressure. Anyone can do it. Positive results happen quickly. Immediate lowering of blood pressure can be seen right after doing the exercises, but sustained results take from a few weeks to several weeks to achieve.

Several companies have developed apparatus to aid in these exercises. Resperate uses an electronic device to track breathing. It teaches you to breathe slower and deeper. ZonaPlus also uses an electronic device to track and teach Hand Squeezing exercise. Each of these devices cost several hundred dollars.

BPDown combines both Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing exercises using tension squeeze balls and a counting technique for breathing. This apparatus costs only $49 and offers free shipping. The website is bpdown.us.

All three companies have sold several hundred devices and feedback appears to be very positive.

My wife and I are the owners of BPDown. Our Ebay rating as of today is 271 and 100% positive. My seller name is shore29 and I encourage you to read the comments at Ebay.com from our customers.

Not only is the BPDown system much less expensive, but it actually works faster because it combines both Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing into one exercise program. Also, because it can be done without electronic devices (though a CD is included) there is nothing to wear out or break. Plus the tension balls are so compact you can take them anywhere and do the exercises using the counting techniques when you are riding (not driving) in a car or other vehicle, waiting for an appointment, watching TV, etc.

My personal blood pressure used to be as high as 180/90, even with taking medicine. My doctors cure was more medicine, which I actually tried and it didnt work very well and sometimes had side effects. I researched extensively and learned about the Hand Squeezing and Paced Breathing research. However, I balked at spending hundreds of dollars.

After 6 months of experimentation testing various tension devices and numerous breathing techniques I discovered the exact combination for fast positive results. In fact, for most people, blood pressure reduces significantly after the very first usage. It takes just a few weeks of daily use, about 12 minutes a day, to sustain lower blood pressure for a whole day or 2. After that, usage may be reduced to every other day, but only if blood pressure continues to stay down.

I still take 1 or 2 Metoprolol (100 mg) a day which is a beta blocker and available from Wal-Mart at $4 for 60 pills, and I do the BPDown exercises every other day in order to maintain my blood pressure below 129/65. I have been tested as low as 109/64. My pulse is usually about 55.

I believe the $49 price for BPDown makes it affordable for most people. Keeping blood pressure low may be the most important factor to reduce and prevent heart failure. I urge everyone with a blood pressure problem to try BPDown. Youll be glad you did.

Lower Blood Pressure Naturally - 7 Drug Free Steps to Lower High Blood Pressure

Are you concerned about your high blood pressure but would rather not use prescription drugs? These 7 methods have been proven to lowering blood pressure naturally without the need of prescription drugs. 1) If you are overweight, bringing your weight down to a normal level will have a great impact in lowering your blood pressure naturally. There are also other dietary factors that can be helpful. These include a high-fiber, low fat, and low sugar diet. Along with diet, exercise will help with the weight loss and will also contribute to lowering your blood pressure. Excessive alcohol consumption also elevates blood pressure. Excessive is more than 2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. Lowering your salt consumption can be beneficial in lowering your blood pressure, however, do not eliminate it altogether. Sodium is a necessary ingredient in your diet and you should consume at least 1200 mg per day. 2) Make sure you have optimal levels of vitamins A, C, and D plus magnesium. 3) Include a calcium supplement which you would take a bed time. Dosage should be 500 -1000 mg. 4) Potassium is a mineral that’s important to good health and along with sodium it helps to regulate blood pressure. Studies have shown that people who consume more potassium have lower blood pressures than those who consume less. Good sources of potassium include many fruits, such as cantaloupe, bananas, watermelon, oranges and orange juice, as well as potatoes, spinach, and zucchini. 5) Coenzyme Q10 200 milligrams a day can also be very effective. With some people it has lowered blood pressure as much as 30 to 40 points in some severe cases. Coenzyme Q10 deficiency is especially common in people taking cholesterol-lowering medications. Make sure you use a quality product. 6) Dark chocolate. Although it only lowers blood pressure by 3-4 mm, it tastes good and is a good source of anti-oxidants. Make sure you eat the dark chocolate, as other types such as milk chocolate do not have the same effect. 7) Lastly, the mind/body factor will affect your blood pressure. Some of us tend to keep our anger and frustrations within ourselves and over time this ‘pressure’ builds and can contribute to an elevated blood pressure. It’s important to let this ’steam’ out when it builds up and it will help to lower your blood pressure naturally.

How to Get the Best Blood Pressure Monitor

Choosing the best blood pressure monitor to keep track of your blood pressure is part of a 2-step program to getting your blood pressure under control. While you may have switched your diet in an attempt to lower blood pressure naturally, you won’t really know how well that is going until you can monitor any changes in your blood pressure.It has not always been an easy thing to do, finding the best blood pressure monitor. In the past many of the monitors that were on sale on the retail market were either not as accurate as you would have liked, or had a price that was far out of the budget of the average person. Thankfully, over time, these two things have come back in to balance.When it comes to accuracy many of the current blood pressure monitors on the market are much more accurate than their earlier models were. You should be able to get regular, proper readings that are just as good as you would get in your doctor’s office. In many cases you may even get better readings at home. Many people have something called ‘white coat syndrome’. This is when they get nervous as they sit in the doctor’s office waiting for their blood pressure to be taken. Those nerves translate to a higher reading on the blood pressure monitor.Thankfully, the prices of blood pressure monitors have changed over the years. These days a good blood pressure monitor can be found for $40-$50. If you are looking for the best blood pressure monitor you can find as you start on your path to lower blood pressure naturally, you may pay more, up to $150 or so for some of the top of the line models.There is a lot to be said for having your own blood pressure monitor. Studies have found that patients who keep track of their blood pressure at home while working on their own plans to lower blood pressure naturally have better results. This is believed to be because they have more involvement in the system, by taking their own blood pressure, than they would by waiting for a read-out from the doctor’s office.If you’re wondering which style is the best blood pressure monitor for you, generally you should stick with the monitors with arm cuffs, instead of finger readers. After that, look for one that you understand and are comfortable using so you will be willing to keep track of your progress.