10 Drug-Free Home Remedies For Better Health Health
| Feb 5, 2020
Mayo Clinic News Network – Heart disease can be improved — or even prevented — by making certain lifestyle changes.
The following changes can help anyone who wants to improve heart health:
Stop smoking.
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease, especially atherosclerosis. Quitting is the best way to reduce your risk of heart disease and its complications.
Control your blood pressure.
Ask your health care provider for a blood pressure measurement at least every two years. He or she may recommend more frequent measurements if your blood pressure is higher than normal or you have a history of heart disease. Optimal blood pressure is less than 120 systolic and 80 diastolic, as measured in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg).
Check your cholesterol.
Ask your health care provider for a baseline cholesterol test when you’re in your 20s and then at least every five years. You may need to start testing earlier if high cholesterol is in your family. If your test results aren’t within desirable ranges, your health care provider may recommend more frequent measurements.
Most people should aim for an LDL level below 130 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 3.4 millimoles per liter (mmol/L). If you have other risk factors for heart disease, you should aim for an LDL below 100 mg/dL (2.6 mmol/L). If you’re at very high risk of heart disease — if you’ve already had a heart attack or have diabetes, for example — aim for an even lower LDL level — below 70 mg/dL (1.8 mmol/L).
Keep diabetes under control.
If you have diabetes, tight blood sugar control can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
Move.
Exercise helps you achieve and maintain a healthy weight and control diabetes, elevated cholesterol and high blood pressure — all risk factors for heart disease. If you have a heart arrhythmia or heart defect, there may be some restrictions on the activities you can do, so talk to your doctor. With your health care provider’s OK, aim for 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity most days of the week.
Eat healthy foods.
A heart-healthy diet based on fruits, vegetables and whole grains — and low in saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and added sugar — can help you control your weight, blood pressure and cholesterol.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Being overweight increases your risk of heart disease. A BMI of less than 25 and a waist circumference of 35 inches (88.9 centimeters) or less is the goal for preventing and treating heart disease.
Manage stress.
Reduce stress as much as possible. Practice techniques for managing stress, such as muscle relaxation and deep breathing.
Deal with depression.
Being depressed can increase your risk of heart disease significantly. Talk to your health care provider if you feel hopeless or uninterested in your life.
Practice good hygiene.
Stay away from people with infectious diseases such as colds, get vaccinated against the flu, regularly wash your hands, and brush and floss your teeth regularly to keep yourself well.
Also, get regular medical checkups. Early detection and treatment can set the stage for a lifetime of better heart health.
This article is written by Mayo Clinic Staff. More health and medical information can be found on mayoclinic.org.
Reduce High Blood Pressure With Dental Floss
October 24, 2018
Doctors say this home health hack actually works
| Daily Mail – Brushing and flossing your teeth could keep you from getting high blood pressure, a new study claims.
Researchers say those who have healthier gums and little tooth decay have lower blood pressure and benefit more from their hypertension medications.
Specifically, patients with hypertension and inflamed gums are 20 percent less likely to have their blood pressure in a healthy range compared to patients with no signs of periodontal disease.
The team, from the University of L’Aquila in Italy, says the findings show those with gum disease might need to have their blood pressure monitored more regularly and those with hypertension may benefit from routine dental care.
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is when the force of the blood flowing through your blood vessels is always high.
It is estimated that one in three US adults have high blood pressure, increasing the risk of heart attacks, kidney disease, and strokes.
Hypertension is known as a ‘silent killer’ because most Americans with the condition do not know they have it.
It is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which is the number one killer in every country including the US.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 54 percent have their high blood pressure under control from medication, exercise, diet or a combination.
For the study, the team looked at the records of more than 11,700 Americans who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2009 and 2014 and were checked for periodontal disease.
Almost 4,100 people were diagnosed with hypertension. About 88 percent were taking medication to treat the condition and around 11 percent were not.
The researchers found that people who had periodontal disease were 20 percent less likely to fall in healthy blood pressure ranges compared to those with good oral health. Read more.
