Blood pressure is the pressure the heart puts on the veins and arteries as it pumps blood. When, for various reasons, the heart's blood vessels narrow and stiffen and the heart weakens, it needs more force or pressure than normal to move blood. That is high blood pressure.

For adults, a normal blood pressure generally means 80 for the lower reading and 120 for the upper.

To control blood pressure we always rely on doctors and medicine, but we can also keep it in check at home. Here is how.

• Excess weight
• Someone in the family having high blood pressure
• Eating too much salt
• Not eating enough vegetables
• Not walking or exercising regularly
• Drinking too many caffeinated drinks such as tea and coffee
• Drinking too much alcohol

• Keep your weight under control.
• Exercise or walk regularly.
• Cut down on protein and carbohydrates and eat more fish, vegetables and fruit.
• Give up all kinds of intoxicants.

Also keep garlic in your daily diet. Garlic, a natural medicine, lowers cholesterol and helps control blood pressure. One tip for bringing high blood pressure down quickly is to take a teaspoon of onion juice with two teaspoons of honey in a cup every day.

Drink carrot juice twice a day to keep blood pressure under control; eating carrots regularly is also good for the skin. But if you have diabetes, take a doctor's advice first. To stay healthy, raw salt must be cut out of the daily diet.

Remember that high blood pressure is one of the main causes of stroke, heart failure and kidney problems, and it is becoming more widespread in the developing world. A healthy lifestyle is the way to keep blood pressure within limits, so keep worry away and measure your blood pressure regularly. Take a doctor's advice and proper treatment.

Source: Banglanews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.