Non-medicinal ways of lowering blood pressure:

1. Meditation: Very simple. In a quiet place where you will not be disturbed close your eyes and focus on your breathing. In your mind as you breathe in say to yourself, 'Breathing in...' As you exhale, 'Breathing out...' Thoughts will intrude, just turn them aside and continue.

A mere five minutes of this will lower your pulse and blood pressure.

Destress in other ways:

2. Buy an aquarium. I'm not kidding. People who watch fish swim languidly about also benefit from a lowering of pule and blood pressure and an increase in beneficial hormones.

3. Avoid processed foods. They are high in sodium, cholesterol, etc.
Plus, they interfere with the brain's ability to retrieve tryptophan (a major mood regulator) from the blood. A loss of tryptophan in the brain raises agitation and irritation.

4. Exercise...but find something you LOVE to do. Exercise does not have to be a chore hated and dreaded all day. Remember what it felt like to be a kid? To PLAY? If you are out of condition you will need to use caution.

5. Keep your weight down. Nothing raises my blood pressure like the prospect of dieting so that is not what I am advocating. If you need to lose weight there are good books out there about managing weight without dieting, including...French Women Don't Get Fat, Diets Don't Work, Overcoming Overeating, When Food Is Love.

6. Find a hobby that relaxes you, something you can concentrate on but not be frustrated by...I love drawing and don't worry too much about not being Picasso or Frida Kahlo.

7. Look at beautiful art or photographs - again, much of what soothes the spirit also lowers our blood pressure.

Hope this has helped!

Learn more about this author, Diane Randle.
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