Self-Care for High Blood Pressure
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So, the new position paper of the International Society of Hypertension is out. How thrilling—a lifestyle approach to preventing and managing high blood pressure that fits quite nicely into the five areas of self-care that we discussed in last week’s blog. This doesn’t mean you should stop your blood pressure medication. Talk to your doctor about potentially reducing your medicine as you implement lifestyle changes. It depends upon your individual situation.
In terms of diet, the recommendation is to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, less red meat, have more fiber and plant-based foods and reduce salt and sugar. To get more depth on diet, beyond the DASH diet, see my blog High Blood Pressure and the Six Tastes.
We’ll go into exercise more another time, but let’s note here the importance of incidental exercise, like taking the stairs, parking a little further away, bringing in the groceries, doing housework, weeding the garden. The more bursts of physical activity you incorporate into your day, the better. Exercise can be incremental; it doesn’t have to be one big workout.
Where overall lifestyle is concerned, the position paper stresses the importance of a good night’s sleep. The key here is to calm everything down an hour before bedtime. Shut down all the devices; get an alarm clock so you don’t need your smartphone in the bedroom, take time to unwind and sip some chamomile tea.
The next area we look at is habits. If you are concerned about blood pressure, it’s important not to smoke. I know that’s easier said than done, which is why the Ayurvedic texts recommend a gradual approach. The good habits should be adopted gradually and the bad habits abandoned gradually. In our clinic we’ve had a lot of success using our herbal smoking mix. Each week, you can reduce the amount of tobacco and increase the amount of the herbal mix until you are not using tobacco at all.
Alcohol use is also bad for hypertension. The less you drink, the better for your blood pressure. Again, consider a gradual approach until your alcohol consumption is either zero or reduced to half a glass of red wine a week.
Finally comes spiritual resilience. I was amazed to discover that the position paper recommends at least thirty minutes of meditation a day. Doing yoga is also highly recommended for blood pressure control. Of course, there’s much more to meditation and mindfulness than just stress reduction. Meditation is the path to true happiness though befriending our own mind and learning to rest in our true nature despite all outer circumstances. Just begin. Start meditating because it’s good for your health and you will find that a whole new world of meaning and brilliance unfolds for you.
Alakananda Ma M.B., B.S. (Lond.) is an Ayurvedic Doctor (NAMA) and graduate of a top London medical school. She is co-founder of Alandi Ayurveda Clinic and Alandi Ayurveda Gurukula in Boulder Colorado, as well as a spiritual mother, teacher, flower essence maker and storyteller. Alakananda is a well known and highly respected practitioner in the Ayurveda community both nationally and internationally.
Enliven your holistic health! Visit Alakananda Ma in Alandi Ashram’s ayurvedic clinic to support the overall rejuvenation of your body, mind, and spirit. In-person and virtual appointments available. Book now!
