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Hypertension, commonly referred to as “high blood pressure” or HTN, is a medical condition in which the blood pressure is chronically elevated. The blood pressure usually is measured with a small, portable instrument called a blood pressure cuff (sphygmomanometer).

Blood pressure can be affected by several factors, so it is important to standardize the environment when blood pressure is measured. Borderline hypertension is defined as mildly elevated blood pressure higher than 140/90 mm Hg at some times, and lower than that at other times.

Nowadays, a dietary changes beneficial to reducing blood pressure includes the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension), which is rich in fruits and vegetables and low fat or fat-free dairy foods. This diet is shown effective based on National Institutes of Health sponsored research. In addition, an increase in daily Calcium intake has also been shown to be highly effective in reducing blood pressure. Fruits, vegetables, and nuts have the added benefit of increasing dietary potassium, which theoretically can offset the effect of sodium and act on the kidney to decrease blood pressure. Besides, relaxation therapy, such as meditation, high sound levels and over-illumination can be an additional method of ameliorating hypertension since it reduces environmental stress.

Topik: Dietary, Therapy