Nearly one-third of American adults have high blood pressure, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Otherwise known as hypertension, this condition leads to increased susceptibility to heart disease and stroke, two of the leading causes of death in the U.S. To reduce your risk of this debilitating disease, eat a healthy diet, incorporate regular fitness activities into your daily life, eliminate tobacco use and reduce your alcohol intake.
Breathe and Visualize Heart Health
One method to reduce your blood pressure doesn't require money, gadgets or a gym membership. Simply learning to slow your breathing can be done anytime, anywhere. Dr. John Kennedy, author of "The 15 Minute Heart Cure," says that conscious breathing for as little as 15 minutes a day can protect your heart. To begin, choose a quiet place away from your daily frenzied environment. This can be while you're walking around your office at lunch, or just before you go to bed at night. Relax by taking long slow breaths through your nose (if possible), and envisioning your heart as healthy and strong. Remember that rapid, shallow, chest breathing means your blood is getting less oxygen than it could if you're not using this deep breathing method.
Bellows Breathing
The Bellows Breathing Technique utilizes your abdominal muscles so that your diaphragm pushes and draws air in and out of your lungs, similar to an old-fashioned blacksmith's bellows. It helps lower your blood pressure by forcing blood in and out of your digestive organs, which also positively affects the liver, spleen, stomach and pancreas. Additionally, it also increases your ability to properly digest food. Begin by sitting upright with your spine straight. Relax, and with your mouth closed, breathe in and out of your nose rapidly. The time it takes to inhale should be the same time required to exhale. Aim for rapid breathing with up to two to three cycles of inhalation and exhalation per second. Your neck, chest and abdomen should feel as if they are being worked hard. Continue for up to 15 second, and gradually increase the length of the exercise by about 5 seconds each time you do it. Never exceed one minute. You can ris hyperventilating and losing consciousness if you perform this breathing exercise too forcefully or repeatedly. Always conduct this breathing exercise in a chair or bed.
Try RESPeRATE
RESPeRATE is an electronic device that takes users through guided breathing and visualization techniques. Although this small headset costs $300, compared to prescription blood pressure medications that can cost anywhere from $10 to $300 each month, this gadget can eventually save you money. Approved by the Federal Drug Administration, the RESPeRATE device requires you to breathe slowly while being guided by personalized relaxation songs with tones for exhaling and inhaling. This device has been proven to lower blood pressure in clinical studies cited in publications such as The American Journal of Hypertension and the American Heart Association Hypertension Primer.
