Physicians in Barnesville, GA, Recommend Home Treatments for Hypertension

Physicians in Barnesville, GA, Recommend Home Treatments for HypertensionHypertension, also known as high blood pressure, can heighten your risk for heart disease and stroke. Physicians in Barnesville, GA, typically prescribe anti-hypertension medication to lower high blood pressure, however, they also recommend other treatments. Here are some interventions that you can implement at home that may help lower your blood pressure.

Decrease Sodium Intake
Consuming diets high in sodium can worsen hypertension. Eating too much salt can also make your kidneys work harder, which can further raise your blood pressure. In addition to not salting your food, avoid processed foods such as premade deli salads, cured sausages, and luncheon meats.

Other foods and beverages that are high in sodium include electrolyte replacement drinks, prepackaged dinners, and fast food. Consuming a low-salt diet will also help relieve swelling of your ankles, which is also known as edema. This can cause leg pain, decreased mobility, and make your shoes feel too tight. Edema is often caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure and poor circulation.

Walk More
Even mild forms of exercise can significantly lower your blood pressure. Walking is a form of aerobic exercise that helps improve blood pressure, regulate the heart rate, lower cholesterol levels, and enhance circulation.

Walking outside on a sunny day will also help your body produce vitamin D. It is thought that those with vitamin D deficiencies may be at a higher risk for high blood pressure than those whose levels are normal. Also, your physician in Barnesville, GA, may tell you that hypertension may be more difficult to manage in people with low levels of vitamin D.

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