Japanese Acupuncture, LLC (480) 246-0624:
600 N. 4th Street, Unit 147, Phoenix, AZ 85004
Life Style To Control High Blood Pressure
5 Must Dos
1) Reduce salt intake
2) Avoid overeating, reduce weight
3) Exercise
4) Stop smoking and excessive alcohol intake
5) Reduce stress
1) Reduction of Salt
Use sour, aroma, and tastiness. Sour foods would stimulate digestion, increase absorption of important minerals (calcium for example), slow down the absorption of sugar into the blood stream. Aromatic condiments reduce the desire and needs to have salt in meals. Emphasize on tastiness of foods. Fresh foods are always tasty and do not need to add salt or other condiments. Think of the way to increase tastiness without salt in cooking. For example, steaming does not require oil or salt and foods smell good; broiling reduces the fat in meats and brings out aroma in vegetables (mushrooms for example).
2) Avoid Overeating
Watch BMI (Body Mass Index). If you are overweight (over 25), have a goal to reduce weight gradually (I would not recommend a fast reduction). Take time and be patient. Aim for the reduction. Eat more vegetables, fruits, and fish with less salt. Avoid snacks and impulsive eating.
3) Exercise
Walk for 30 min each day, or at least walk 30 min three times a week. Light cardio is recommended. Stretching and de-stress: do light yoga for example.
4) Stop Smoking & Drink Less Alcohol
If you are a smoker, try to quit as soon as possible. Seek help and increase your determination to quit. NOTHING is good about smoking. Sip instead of drink alcohol. Try to cut down the intake. Common sense here is: everything in moderation.
5) Reduce Stress
Stressful environment and thinking patterns are detrimental to the health of the body. Our blood turns to acidic when stressed, causing many complications including faster heart beats. Cannot really reduce high blood pressure when you are stressed.
Other Factors To Consider
Be watchful of temperature change. For example, when you get up from warm bed in the morning to go to bathroom. When taking shower, keep the bathroom warm especially in wintertime. Be watchful of sitting and standing up. Do not get up quickly and abruptly. If you are constipated, you need to do something to have a normal bowel movement back. I recommend Chinese herb formula, colonic, or liver/colon cleansing kit.
Try to include seaweeds in your diet. All seaweeds not only have anti-cancer agent (fucoidan), they cleanse the blood and reduce blood pressure. Eat mushrooms. They have amino acid which reduces cholesterol. You can soak Shitake mushrooms (hydrated) in a jar of honey for little over a week, and drink the honey with tea. Other foods recommended are crabs and shrimps, asparagus, banana, black sesame, and yams (there are many others).
Emergency
When you are having an acute symptom of high blood pressure such as severe dizziness, headache, nausea, nosebleed, and blurred vision, call 911. In Asia, pricking the apex of the ear (fold the ear with fingers forward, the apex is at the top of the ear where folded) and letting a droplet of blood out is known to reduce the blood pressure (do not try this when you are alone and always have someone supervising you).
Y. Frank Aoi/Japan Acupuncture 2010