High blood pressure and sex

High blood pressure is a condition in which the pressure of the blood against the artery wall is high enough to cause health problems, including heart disease. No symptoms may be noticed in a person for years but the damage to the blood vessels and to your heart continues. High blood pressure can have an impact on your sex life. Although sexual activity does not lead to any possible threats to your health but high blood pressure can affect the pleasure you would have otherwise derived from sex.

In Men

High blood pressure leads to the wearing out of the lining of blood vessels and causes arteries to narrow and harden that decreases the blood flow. This results in decreased blood flow to the penis. In case of some men, this decreased blood flow makes it difficult for them to achieve and maintain an erection. This problem is called erectile dysfunction.

High blood pressure may also interfere with ejaculation and be a cause for low libido. The medications that are prescribed for treating high blood pressure may lead to this condition.

In Women

Just as in the case of men, high blood pressure results in the decreased flow of blood to the vagina in case of women. This may cause problems like low libido, vaginal dryness, or complexities in achieving orgasm. Sexual dysfunction in women results in stress, anxiety and even relationship issues.



High Blood Pressure and Sex

One of the most common problems to affect men and women of all ages is high blood pressure. If your blood pressure consistently shows a reading that is higher than 140 over 90 you may be suffering from high blood pressure. High blood pressure on its own is not fatal, but it can lead to a number of problems including strokes and higher vulnerability to heart attacks. 

An unhealthy lifestyle is one of the biggest causes for high blood pressure. Thus making conscious lifestyle changes such as leading a more active life and eating more fruits and vegetables can help manage high blood pressure. Ayurveda also has a number of ways to manage and treat high blood pressure. Some of these are:

Garlic cloves: Garlic has a number of antiseptic properties and is also beneficial towards slowing down the pulse rate and helps smoothen the heart s rhythm. To use garlic, include it in your regular food or better still, chew 2-3 fresh, raw cloves of garlic a day.
Watermelon: Watermelon is rich in L-citrulline, an amino acid which has the ability to lower blood pressure. It is also loaded with fiber, vitamin A, potassium and lycopenes which also help lower blood pressure levels. To benefit from watermelon, it can be eaten as it is or dried watermelon seeds can be crushed and mixed with cuscus powder and water to be drunk twice a day. The powder made from dried watermelon seeds can also be steeped with boiling water to create a tea that should be consumed every morning and evening.
Amla or Indian gooseberries: This herb is associated with a number of health benefits and can help lower cholesterol, hypertension and help stabilize blood circulation. To use amla in the treatment of high blood pressure, crush and extract the juice of 4-5 amlas and have 2 teaspoons of this juice mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey every morning. This also strengthens the digestive system and prevents the build up of toxins inside the body.
Yoga: Yoga asanas can also help stabilize the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system and thus regulate blood pressure. To treat high blood pressure, begin by sitting in the Siddhasana posture and practising the Anjali Mudra. This helps reduce stress and anxiety. Follow this by the Supta Padangusthasana and then the Matsya Kridasana. Simple anulom vilom and other such breathing exercises can also help lower high blood pressure.

High Blood Pressure - 4 Ayurvedic Remedies For It!

Health experts do believe, and are promoting the same nowadays, that eating right is the best step to control high blood pressure other than regular medications. Who knows, if you are strong enough to control your lifestyle and eating habits, you may not need a long term medication after some time. The blood pressure may lower down naturally with improving health and weight.

Factors that elevate blood pressure in the body.

Before suggesting the right eatables for lowering the blood pressure, let s look at the conditions which actually increase the blood pressure. They are:

A coronary heart disease
Stress
Anxiety
Work pressure or family and relationship troubles
Obesity
Cholesterol
Other medical conditions like diabetes, depression, etc.
Pregnancy
Each one has a toll on the body with resultant High Blood Pressure. With eating right you may gain a lot of control on the body.

Eating Right

Here are some quick tips on eating right:

Avoid excess salt intake. The more salt you take, the more sodium your body gets, and as a result BP elevates. When you eat readymade snacks, packaged foods and drinks with preservatives, check the nutritional information. Most of them contain high sodium. You may stop the intake of such foods or restrict them completely.

Avoid oily and junk food. Avoid food with unsaturated or trans fats. These kinds of foods straightaway add to the fat deposits of the body, and make you obese or more obese. In such cases, the obesity and increased weight build a pressure on the heart to pump more, thus elevating blood pressure.

Avoid excess caffeine. Caffeine comes in the body through coffee, tea, and aerated drinks. These beverages when restricted to only 1-2 intakes per day may help you lower the BP.

Quit smoking, as this puts excess pressure on the lungs to breathe and thus the heart to pump.

Reduce alcohol intake: Avoid alcohol intake in excess amounts. Drinking more alcohol or frequent drinking can elevate blood pressure.

Besides there are some good foods that can always help to lower or control BP. They are:

Plain, fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt
White beans
Pork tenderloins
Small fishes like Tilapia
Bananas
Oats
Broccoli
Bell Peppers
These food items are designed by nature to reduce blood pressure or normalize blood pressure in the body. Hence, if you are trying heart and soul to eat right, then try these in your daily food to see positive results. Besides, exercising and reducing weight are the two other important steps to take, which complement the healthy diet and eating habits to lower the blood pressure with or without medication.

High Blood Pressure - Control it by Eating Right

Hypertension or High Blood Pressure can trigger as well as worsen complications related to diabetes. Most people suffering from diabetes tend to develop hypertension later in their lives. Diabetes tends to increase one s blood pressure, making him/her even more vulnerable to other heart diseases and cardio-vascular disorders. Diabetes often leads to a condition known as atherosclerosis, which is the hardening of the arteries. A combination of diabetes and hypertension drastically increases the risk of suffering from a heart disease. The risks of kidney diseases and retinopathy (damage to the tiny blood vessels present in the retina) also go up, resulting in blindness. With age, chronic hypertension can also result in numerous cognitive disorders such as dementia or Alzheimer s disease (degenerative mental disorder).

How to prevent Diabetes and Hypertension?
1. Walking for about 40 minutes each day or engaging in any type of aerobic exercise can better one s heart health. Chalk out an exercise plan upon consulting the doctor
2. Limit drinking and abstain from smoking
3. Go for regular kidney check-ups
4. Eat food rich in fiber such as vegetables, fruits, breads or whole grain cereals
5. Examine blood pressure as well as blood sugar levels regularly at home
6. Practice relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga to cut down on stress level; as stress is one of the major contributors to diabetes and the subsequent hypertension
7. Shed off your extra pounds as blood pressure escalates with weight

Hypertension and Diabetes - How They are Related?

Hypertension is a condition where the blood has to exert extra pressure to flow through the blood vessels. While there is a genetic component to it, the more strong contributing factors are modified lifestyle and dietary changes. There are also a lot of environmental changes that have contributed to this new epidemic. While earlier people in their 50s and 60s would be diagnosed with hypertension, now there are people in 30s and 40s taking hypertension pills. Excess fat accumulation is the major cause of hypertension in younger patients.

There begins the complexity of the issue. Hypertension which requires medications to control it, they lead to side effects and bring in a host of other diseases like diabetes, and obesity which in turn bring in a whole lot of complications. A more easy way to manage would be to prevent and of course, after onset, look at how naturally it can be managed.

Ayurveda has numerous substances that have been proven to have beneficial effects in controlling blood pressure over the past 1000s of years.

1. Celery or ajwain helps blood vessels to dilate and reduces concentration of stress hormones in the blood.

2. Ashwagandha has a wide range of actions and improves the body's ability to handle physical and mental stress. This in turn improves blood pressure, obesity, and depression.

3. Citrus fruits contain vitamin c which prevents fragility of the capillaries (thinner blood vessels).

4. Cow's urine prevents hardening of blood vessels and is of curative value in those who have blood pressure due to hardening of blood vessels. 

5. Triphala which is a combination of amla, haritaki, and bibhitaki helps reduce inflammation that leads to blood pressure, thereby helping to control it.

6. Jatamansi - by helping the free radical damage on the arteries, it protects the arteries and prevents cholesterol accumulation. It also is a very well-proven stress reliever and has additional benefits on hypertension.

7. Arjuna - by helping the metabolism of the bad cholesterol in the liver, this protects the inner lining of the heart and thereby helps control hypertension.

8. Calcium and potassium containing substances help remove sodium and thereby improve blood pressure.

9. Natural herbs like brahmi, sarpagandha, shankhpushpi, and chandana are effective ayurvedic cure and treatment for hypertension.

10. Rasayana treatment from ayurveda is having excellent results, however everyone requires unique rasayan as per their body types.

11. Watermelon helps in dilation of the blood vessels.

12. Aloe gel, barberry, calamus, valerian, skullcap, gotu kola cayenne, myrrh, motherwort, hawthorn and jatamansi have all been shown to help manage hypertension over thousands of years.

13. A glass of warm milk mixed with saraswat powder is also helpful for patients with high blood pressure.

These are natural remedies which were a part of diet since times immemorial. Including them in the diet, reducing processed foods, regular exercise, avoiding alcohol and smoking can be some natural ways to prevent and if required control hypertension. Stress is here to stay, but can definitely be managed with a little conscious effort.

Control Blood Pressure With Ayurveda

Blood pressure readings above 140/90 are classified as hypertension or high blood pressure. Hypertension causes straining of blood vessels and an interruption in the blood flow. There are no specific symptoms, but prolonged hypertension can lead to a heart stroke.

Listed below are a few ways to reduce high blood pressure:

Limit your salt intake: The sodium content in salt disrupts the balance of fluids in your body, leading to high blood pressure. To avert hypertension, cut down on your daily salt intake to a maximum of one tablespoon.
Indulge in physical exercise: If you are suffering from pre-hypertension (mild hypertension), it can be avoided or controlled by engaging in physical exercise such as brisk walk, swimming or playing a sport. Exercising regularly can lower blood pressure levels by 5 mmHg (millimetres of mercury).
Bask in the sun: Exposure to sunlight alters the nitric oxide levels in your blood which leads to reduction in blood pressure. Thus, soaking up the sun can prove to be a great way to avoid a stroke in future.
Add ginger and cardamom to your diet: The two spices, ginger and cardamom, provide required warmth to your body and help in stabilising the circulation of blood in your body and help in bringing down blood pressure levels.
Add more green vegetables to your diet: Green vegetables, preferably the leafy ones, are rich in nutrients such as magnesium, iron and folate which help in maintaining the blood circulation that is essential for combating high blood pressure.
Switch to decaf coffee: If you can t give up coffee entirely, switch to decaf beverages as caffeine is responsible for tightening your blood vessels which leads to increased stress and blood pressure levels.
Start drinking tea: Herbals teas such as chamomile, ginger, green tea and hibiscus tea contain herbal properties which soothe your blood vessels and nourish the blood flow. Herbal teas also help in hydration and rejuvenation of fluids in your body.
Update your playlist: Music is proven to be therapeutic and updating your playlist with soothing Sufi, Celtic or Instrumental tunes can help you relax your mind and combat stress related blood pressure spikes.

High Blood Pressure - 8 Ways You Can Control it At Home!

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