Sick of High Blood Pressure? Try Massage
Are you affected by hypertension and looking to control or lower your blood pressure?
High blood pressure or hypertension is a condition that affects 1 in 3 people in developed nations. In the United States alone hypertension impacts the lives of more than 65 million people. The large role played by diet and lifestyle in this condition is shown by comparing with incidence rates amongst Asian countries. In city areas where a western diet and lifestyle have become the norm incidence rates are on a par with the US; in regional communities, where life more closely follows traditional patterns, the incidence is two to three times less.
Clinically, high blood pressure is diagnosed when blood pressure readings are 140 mmHg systolic over 90mmHg diastolic, with normal or optimal blood pressure being 120/80. Increasingly, research is showing the connection between blood pressure and secondary disease with suggestions putting the ideal blood pressure for good cardiovascular health at 115/75 with progressive increasing risk of cardiovascular disease for blood pressures above this.
While diagnosis of high blood pressure is quite simple, as anyone affected will tell you, treatment is not so simple. Statistics suggest that 70% of those affected by high blood pressure are not able to control their blood pressure effectively enough to prevent other cardiovascular complications like stroke. Further, the medications prescribed for high blood pressure can themselves have quite unpleasant side effects including, dizziness, insomnia and impotence.
Increasingly, medical research is looking to complementary and alternative therapies for solutions. Massage is one treatment modality that is consistently seen to offer enormous benefits in the management of high blood pressure.
Research shows the most significant reductions in blood pressure occur with regular swedish massage applied to the back and face. While immediate results were obvious in systolic blood pressure, most benefit is gained from regular massage treatment. One study that followed participants over ten treatments showed a drop in blood pressure of almost 18mmHg in systolic blood pressure and 9mmHg in diastolic blood pressure. This can effectively change a diagnosis of high blood pressure to normal blood pressure.
If you find yourself one of the 33% of the population that is affected by high blood pressure take the time out to to try a treatment with a good massage therapist. While not intended as a replacement for good diet and exercise, a swedish relaxation massage is definitely one medicine that doesn't need a "spoonful of sugar" to help it go down.
Passion4Health is a wellness clinic located in Browns Plains, Brisbane. At Passion4Health we focus on management and maintenance of optimum health through an integrated lifestyle approach.
Passion4Health provide diet and nutritional advice, massage, lymphatic drainage, iridology and live blood analysis.
Find out how you can reduce chronic disease and maintain optimum health by calling us now on 0437 060 385.