Tuesday Top 6 – Things That Lower Blood Pressure

Whether its the weather, your kids or traffic that gets your blood pressure rolling, there are a few quick things you can do to get it back down to a comfortable area.

High blood pressure is one of the most common health problems in America.  People of all ages can have it and its more common in people over 65 years old.   High blood pressure makes the heart work way too hard.  When it works too hard, it can cause narrowing of the arteries and lead to heart disease, kidney disease, heart attack and stroke.

Take a look at some things you can do to get your blood pressure back down.

1.  Get more sun.  There is this stuff called nitric oxide in your body and sunlight helps to increase this and dilate your blood vessels.

2.  Go to the zoo.  Things that fascinate people such as tigers, elephants and rhino's make their heart feel all fluffy and fuzzy, so go see some caged animals.  Apparently this helps.

3.  Volunteer.  This makes you feel accomplished and happy about yourself and your blood pressure will drop.

4.  Give more hugs.  According to studies, women who hug their partner more frequently have lower blood pressure.  Physical closeness can release hormones that help you feel calmer.

5.  Listen to music.  You can't say you don't like music.  So pick your favorite and take a listen.

6.  Squeeze stuff.  Stress balls, steering wheels, pillows or your husband/wife helps lower the pressure.