High blood pressure, also known as hypertension is a very serious ailment. It greatly increases your risk of stroke or heart disease. But despite the fact how fatal it is, people with high blood pressure often pop the pill and forget about the seriousness of it. They don’t even realize that what these medications can do with their body.
These medications are known to have the following effects:
DIURETICS
These medicines cause the body to produce more urine and excrete sodium, leading to a drop in blood pressure.
Side effects of these drugs include-
- Hypotension or low blood pressure.
- Fatigue
- Muscle weakness
- Loss of appetite
- Constipation and many more.
Diuretics may also have an adverse effect on sugar metabolism and raise the blood sugar level.
BETA-BLOCKERS
These drugs suppress the sympathetic nervous system thereby decreasing the heart rate. While the slow heart rate effectively reduces blood pressure, it also reduces the circulation to peripheral parts of the body and causes unusual tiredness, sensitivity to cold and sunlight. They can also aggravate asthma.
METHYLDOPA
This drug is related to dopamine and hence can cause drowsiness and depression. It can also damage the liver.
PERIPHERAL VASODILATORS
These drugs dilate blood capillaries and can lead to hypotension and fainting.
As high blood pressure decreases blood flow to body tissues, but if left untreated it can lead to serious and irreversible conditions such as-
- Brain damage
- Stroke
- Kidney damage
- Eye problems
- Heart damage
- Atherosclorosis
- Damage to blood vessels
But as we see above, if we use medicines to treat high blood pressure then they can harm our body to a greater extent. So, instead of medication, we should look for some natural ways to manage it.
There are a number of things you can do to manage your high blood pressure. These include:
- Avoiding alcohol
- Healthy diet
- Reduction of stress
- Quit smoking
- Weight management
- Active lifestyle
Out of the above 6, yoga can actually help us to achieve 3 i.e., active lifestyle, reduction of stress, and weight management. This gives us a reason why we should do yoga for high blood pressure.
Recommended yoga for high blood pressure:
The following yoga asanas can help lower high blood pressure. However, it would be best to practice them under the supervision of a yoga instructor.
- Shashankasana
- Vajrasana
- Paschimottanasana
- Shavasana
- Ardha Matsyenrasana
- Badhkonasana
- Setubandhasana
- Ardha halasana
SHASHANKASANA
It relieves stress and fatigue. Also, normalize blood circulation.
TECHNIQUE:
- Sit in vajrasana.
- Raise your arms while inhaling.
- Exhale and bend forward.
- The arms should remain straight and also close to the ears.
- Try to place your forehead and forearma on the ground.
- Breathe normally for 10 times.
- Finish with shavasana.
VAJRASANA
This pose helps to increase blood flow to the lower abdomen and can be done even after lunch or dinner.
TECHNIQUE:
- Kneel on the floor.
- Pull your knees and ankles together and point your feet in line with your legs.
- Sit back on your legs.
- Put your hands on your thighs .
PASCHIMOTTANASANA
Helps to reduce fat from the abdomen and thus, manage weight.
TECHNIQUE:
- Sit down with legs stretched out in front.
- Bring your arms straight up over your head.
- Bend forward while exhaling and try to touch forehead to knees.
- Rest the elbow on the floor.
- Inhaling, raise the head and release the hands.
SHAVASANA
This pose helps to relieve stress and fatigue. It relaxes the body and improves sleep patterns.
TECHNIQUE:
- Lie flat on your back and keep your legs separated.
- Put your arms to the side and your palms facing upwards.
- Close your eyes and breathe through your nose deeply.
ARDHMATSYENDRASANA
It helps to stimulate the heart and nervous system and normalize high blood pressure.
TECHNIQUE:
- Fold the right leg and bring the right foot near the left hip.
- Bend the left leg upright, placing the foot in front of the right knee.
- Take your right hand over left leg and hold the left ankle.
- Take left hand behind and place the back of hand on the right side of the waist.
BADHKONASAN
Stimulates the heart and leads to better circulation of blood throughout the body.
TECHNIQUE:
- For this , you need to fold the legs and join your feet facing each other.
- Hold feet close to the body and move legs up and down fast.
- Repeat it for 10 times.
- Breathing should be normal.
SETU BANDHASANA
It soothes the nervous system and helps control high blood pressure.
TECHNIQUE:
- Lie on your back.
- Inhaling, lift your bofy off the floor as shown in the picture.
- Try to touch your chin to your chest.
- Tighten your buttocks and keep your thighs parallel to each other.
ARDH HALASANA
It helps to lose fat from thighs and from butts. It also helps to control high blood pressure.
TECHNIQUE:
- Lie down in shavasana and keep your both legs jointed.
- Put your hands to the side.
- Breathe and raise your leg up to the ground.
- Hold this position as long as you can.
Here is a more systematic plan for you-Yoga for high blood pressure: A 7-day plan
Thank you for reading this so far. If you have any queries regarding the text, you can ask me in the comment section below or you can also mail us at physiociti@gmail.com
Best of luck!